A Nostalgic Yearning
by Erin Giles
Summary: Take two men, a small child, a seaside town, throw in a few locals, some Welsh rain and you’ve got a perfect holiday. Don’t you? Sequel to my fic "Family Matters". Janto.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE**: A Nostalgic Yearning

**AUTHOR**: Erin Giles

**DISCLAIMER**: Torchwood and it's characters are property of the BBC. Finn, Rhiannon, Chris and all other characters are property of me. Although why you'd want them is beyond me.

**RATING**: PG-13

**PAIRINGS/CHARACTERS**: Jack/Ianto, Gwen, Owen, Tosh, OC's

**SUMMARY**: Take two men, a small child, a seaside town, throw in a few locals, some Welsh rain and you've got a perfect holiday. Don't you?

**AUTHOR NOTES**: This is the sequel to my story, "Family Matters". **This will not make sense unless you have read Family Matters. **Set in season two of Torchwood but obviously not sticking to canon so fit it in where you want. The title of this piece "A Nostalgic Yearning" is taken from the book 'The meaning of liff' by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd where they describe Aberystwyth as being "A nostalgic yearning which is in itself more pleasant than the thing being yearned for."

* * *

Ianto groaned as he rolled over in his bed, flinging out an arm to tilt the alarm clock forward enough for him to be able to read the digital display. Numbers blinked back at him as he tried to figure out what they meant, his brain trying to form coherent thoughts as his doorbell rang again.

"Ignore it." Jack's muffled voice came from the other side of the bed as Ianto pulled himself from underneath the duvet, grabbing his jeans that were slung over the chair on his side of the bed.

"If someone's ringing my doorbell at two in the morning Jack it's probably going to be important." Ianto grumped as he tried to pull up his jeans without falling over. The window rattled in its frame as the wind ripped through the trees outside, his doorbell sounding again as Ianto stooped to pick up Jack's shirt.

"It'll be kids playing knock and run." Jack called after him as Ianto descended the stairs to his front door. He flicked the porch light on as he entered the hallway in an attempt to stop the visitor ringing his doorbell for a fifth time.

"I'm coming." He called out as he searched blindly for his keys on the hall table before discovering they were actually hung up on the hook by the door for once. He had to stop the door from blowing inwards and knocking him out as he pulled Jack's shirt closed across his chest.

"Ria?" Ianto stifled a yawn as his sister stood staring at him on his front doorstep. Finn was in her arms, his head resting on her shoulder, asleep. A Thomas the Tank Engine backpack was hanging from her arm and she was wearing her pyjamas with a coat over the top, her eyes red ringed from crying.

"Can I come in?" her voice sounded hollow as Ianto stepped back to let his sister into the house, shutting out the wind and rain behind her.

"What's happened?" Ianto questioned, ushering her into the kitchen where he flicked the lights on. He blinked dazedly in the bright glare as he moved to the kettle, automatically flicking the switch, some part of his mother kicking in. _Because if someone turns up at two in the morning on a night like this wearing their pyjamas the situation definitely calls for tea._ He watched as his sister sank into one of the kitchen chairs, Finn still cradled close to her as she dropped the bag she was carrying.

"Chris, he's," Ria looked like she was going to burst into tears again and Ianto moved over to her, kneeling down so he could wrap his arms around his sister and nephew.

"Why don't I go put Finn down on the couch then you can tell me what's going on?" Ianto coaxed, pulling the little boy from his sister's arms. Finlay turned into Ianto's warm shoulder, his thumb stuck in his mouth as he continued to cling onto the ear of his moth eaten rabbit Ianto had bought him when he had been born with his other hand.

Ianto disappeared into the living room, not bothering to turn the light on but lying Finn down on the couch in amongst the cushions before he pulled the throw from the back of the couch, tucking him in. Jack's coat was still slung over the armchair and he placed that over his nephew as well, watching as Finn grabbed blindly at the sleeve of the wool coat, obviously finding it of some comfort. Ianto smiled; like Uncle like Nephew.

When he returned to the kitchen Ria was sat at the table with her head in her hands as the kettle finished boiling. He made two cups of tea and brought them over to the table, placing one in front of Ria and clutching at the other one with both hands.

"He's been cheating on me, on us, Ianto." Ria whispered as Ianto sat down opposite her.

"He's been sleeping with someone at work. I've known now for the past few months but I didn't want to say anything, I didn't want to ruin things for Finlay, he needs a father Ianto and I didn't want," Ria burst into sobs.

"Hey, come on." Ianto reached out a hand to her, getting up from his side of the table and moving round to embrace his sister again. "He's not worth crying over Ria." He soothed as she continued to sob.

She stopped crying into his shoulder when they both heard the floorboards of the stairs creaking. She looked up at him, a hand on his shoulder before it dawned on her that the shirt he was wearing didn't smell like her brother.

"Ianto, I'm sorry, I didn't know there was someone here." She was pulling herself to her feet, looking about for the bag she'd dropped earlier. "We'll go."

"Ria!" Ianto grabbed both of his sister's wrists to stop her mad dash to the door. "It's fine. It's just Jack."

"But you were busy. It's fine, really. I'll go and I'll find a hotel for us to stay in." Ria was trying to struggle out of Ianto's grasp now, desperation in her words.

"Ria." Ianto's voice was soft as he tried to turn his sister towards him, tried to stop her franticly leaving but she pulled free of him, dashing out of the kitchen only to met by another body, partially dressed, stood in her way.

"Hey," Jack put both of his hands on Ria's shoulders. "You're staying here." Jack's tone of voice left no room for argument and Ianto watched from the kitchen doorway as his sister sank into Jack's arms, defeated.

* * *

Ianto closed the door to his spare room, catching one last glimpse of his sister and nephew curled up in each other's arms just as the sun began to leak into the hallway through the bathroom window. He half sighed, half yawned, as he stumbled across the hall to his bedroom. Jack was still sat up in bed waiting for him.

"How is she?" Jack questioned sincerely.

Ianto gave him a disbelieving look.

"Right," Jack looked chagrined. "Daft question."

Jack watched as Ianto pulled off Jack's shirt and his jeans and slung them back over the chair on his side of the bed before crawling back under the covers. Ianto sighed again as he turned into Jack's arms, closing his eyes, praying for sleep to come quickly.

"Some days I wish I didn't have family." Ianto whispered. "I feel horrible for thinking it but I've got enough on my plate helping you save the world without stopping my sister's falling apart." Ianto felt Jack's lips on his forehead.

"Sometimes it takes things like this to put the bigger picture in prospective." Jack replied as Ianto settled further into Jack's arms.

"Also I hate to be the barer of bad news," Jack broke the silence, an apologetic tone to his voice. "But we need to be at work in an hour."

Ianto groaned into Jack's chest before pulling a pillow over his head.

* * *

"Oi! Ianto!"

Ianto jerked slightly as his head slipped from where it had been resting in his hand. He blinked a couple of times to get the world back into focus and found Owen waving a hand in front of his face.

"Oh you are with us then." Owen snarked leaning back in his chair looking rather smug with himself.

"Sorry, what?" Ianto questioned, trying to pick up what was going on. He glanced at the screen in the conference room and found that Tosh was now standing in front of it instead of Jack and they'd already moved on from Weevil sightings to something else. Although he wasn't entirely sure what and they were all staring at him expectantly.

"I was just asking if you know roughly how many bus loads of tourists we get on match days? Since they seem to be targeting tourists, we'll need to be extra vigilant this weekend." Tosh looked at him bashfully as Ianto blinked a couple of times. Since when was he the bloody tourist office and city council?

"Dunno," he shrugged and caught Jack's eyebrow shooting up into his hairline in his peripheral vision. "Maybe a couple of hundred?"

Ianto watched as Tosh frowned at him and his apparent lackadaisical attitude before turning back to the screen and continuing her debrief. Ianto didn't miss the fact that Jack's gaze remained on him until Tosh asked his opinion on something and then only reluctantly did he turn away as Ianto muffled a yawn.

* * *

"Ianto all I'm saying is just take a week off to sort things out at home. Spend time with Finn or something. Catch up on sleep?" Jack tried to hide his smile as Ianto tried to muffle a yawn again; both of them failed.

"Jack it's fine, I can multitask you know, unlike some people." Ianto argued.

"Was that aimed at me?" Jack asked incredulously and Ianto just shot him a dirty look before retreating out Jack's office.

"Fine have it your way Mr. Grumpy!" Jack called loud enough for Owen to hear. The latter gave a snort of laughter, smirking at Ianto until he caught the tea-boy's glower and promptly spun back around in Gwen's chair to face the computer monitor as the rift alarm sounded.

* * *

"You know this never would have happened if you had taken me up on my offer of paid holiday." Jack teased as the SUV pulled up outside Ianto's front door.

"I'm not really in the mood for an 'I told you so'." Ianto grimaced as he tried to undo his seatbelt, his left eye closed. Jack wasn't sure if it was swollen shut or just closed trying to block out as much light as possible to try and dull the ache. Jack eventually came to Ianto's rescue as he slide gracefully from the SUV going round to Ianto's side to help him out of the car.

"You're not really in the mood for much at the moment. Which is a shame considering I brought you home." Jack gave him a sly smile that Ianto missed, too busy trying to stay on his feet as he leant against the side of the SUV.

"Keys?" Jack asked a moment later as they stood on the front doorstep. Ianto looked at him blankly for a moment, glancing down at Jack's outstretched hand. He wasn't quick enough with a reply before Jack was patting down the pockets of Ianto's suit jacket, a hand on the small of his back to keep him upright.

The next thing Ianto knew he was thankfully being lowered onto his couch by Jack's steadying hands. He let out a groan of approval as he rested his head back into the couch cushions, closing his eyes.

"Is Uncy Yan ok?" A small voice piped up from somewhere over by the television which Ianto only now realised was on.

"Uncle Ianto isn't very well Finn." Jack explained. Ianto heard Jack taking his coat off which meant he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. "So we need to be very quiet and use our inside voices so he'll get better quickly."

Ianto's eyebrow would have quirked at that had he not known how much it would hurt for him to move at all. Where on earth had Jack learned the phrase 'inside voices'?

"Ok." Finn replied in a rather loud stage whisper. "Are you going to make him soup? Mummy makes soup when I get sick."

"I don't think he needs soup at the moment." Ianto could hear the chuckle hidden in Jack's voice as he felt Jack pulling off his shoes. Finn must have had a disappointed look on his face because Jack started to reassure him. "But when he does you could maybe help me make it?"

"Oh God! What happened?" Ria all but shrieked from the doorway and Ianto tried to crack open his eyes to reassure his sister he was fine, just dazed and tired and severely concussed.

"Ssssh Mummy!" Finn admonished in a rather loud whisper. "Uncy Yan got an owie so we have to use our inside voices."

Ianto felt himself smiling as Jack manipulated his suit jacket, tie and belt from him before lying him down on the couch. Ianto let his mind drift as he vaguely heard Jack trying to explain what had happened, no real need to lie about his job this time. It wasn't as if it was entirely Torchwood related.

He awoke sometime later to the smell of food wafting out of the kitchen towards him. There was a doctor's stethoscope lying in the middle of the living room floor next to some train tracks and a half used box of plasters. He presumed Finn had been trying to play doctor at some point. He gingerly touched his head to check if Finn had been playing doctor on him but found no new plaster's than the original gauze Owen had taped to his forehead some hours ago.

He followed the sound of voices and entered the kitchen to find Ria sat at the table, hands wrapped round a mug of tea as Jack stood at the stove, braces hanging down by his sides, shoes off and sleeves rolled up. He looked the picture of domesticity and it made Ianto smile.

"Ah, sleeping beauty awakes." Jack smiled as Ianto shuffled round to the other seat at the table and plonked himself down rather unceremoniously.

"How you feeling?" Ria questioned, eyes full of concern as they traced what was no doubt by now a spectacular bruise down the side of his face. Ianto could see Jack looking at him over his shoulder.

"Groggy." He answered truthfully as he yawned, rubbing at the back of his neck

"That's what you get for tripping over your own two feet into a wall." Ria teased. Ianto glanced at Jack who was pulling down an extra plate down from the cupboard.

"Technically I was pushed." Ianto bit back, his eyes still on Jack as he started to dish up.

"Fine, next time I'll let you be run over by the hell Granny on a scooter." Jack retorted, banging the pans into the bottom of the sink. Ria giggled into her mug of tea.

"Please. That would probably have hurt less than a solid wall." Ianto sniped.

"Hungry?" Jack questioned, trying to change the subject as he spun towards Ianto, two plates piled with what appeared to spaghetti bolognaise in either hand and a megawatt smile on his face. Ianto stomach grumbled in response as Jack put the plates down on the table before going back for his own.

* * *

"Leave them." Ianto waved vaguely at the pots and pans Ria was trying to pile into the sink, his head cradled in one of his hands. "I'll do them later." Ianto thought for a moment as his head started to throb again. "Or I'll get Jack to do them later when he comes back from work. He looks good in marigolds."

Ria laughed as she continued to scrub at the bottom of the pan.

"He's a good man you know." Ria said after a long moment, placing the pot deliberately on the drying rack before turning to face her brother. "Mam would have liked him."

"Yes, but Dad now thinks I'm gay." Ianto admitted, sighing slightly.

"Da doesn't understand the concept of love Ianto and you know that as well as I do. Just because you fell in love with a man doesn't make you gay." Ria caught the look of confusion on Ianto's face and she rolled her eyes in response.

"Oh please Yan, I've seen the way you look at him. At first I thought he was just the person there to pick up the pieces after Canary Wharf, Lisa and Mam, but he stuck around. He really cares about you."

Ianto could see tears in his sister's eyes but he didn't say anything, he knew what was coming.

"I thought Chris was the same you know. I thought he really cared. We had a child together, but the first time a bit of skirt catches his eye he's off like the clappers. Settling down into a new life; one which doesn't involve either me or Finn." Ria let out a sigh as she abandoned the dishes, coming back over to the table and picking up the dishcloth to dry her hands.

"You deserve better than him Ria." Ianto reached out and took her hand, re-iterating everything he had said last night to her while she was in floods of tears, almost inconsolable.

"I'll have Jack when you're done with him." Ria teased, smiling slightly.

"You may be waiting a while." Ianto smiled back at her as Ria bent to kiss her brother on the forehead, avoiding the left side of his head.

"If he makes you happy Yan then I'll wait a lifetime." Ria replied, a hand on Ianto's shoulder as he blushed.

"Mam!" Finn's distant cry came from somewhere above them, breaking the moment.

"Coming." Ria called back, squeezing Ianto's shoulder before she disappeared out the kitchen.

* * *

Ianto tried to stop himself from giggling as he watched Jack bundling up his shirt and trousers before flinging them onto the chair at Ianto's side of the bed.

"Finn playing Doctor earlier on by any chance?" Ianto inquired as his hand reached out for Jack's forearm. Jack followed his gaze down to the plasters stuck haphazardly on his hairy forearm. Jack hardly had time to protest before Ianto was ripping the first one off, causing Jack to yelp and pull his arm back, rubbing furiously.

"Ow!" Jack frowned, a look of indignation on his face as he pulled his arm further away from Ianto. "Next time I think I'll let Finn minister to you see how you like band aids being ripped off."

"You leaving the other ones on then?" Ianto questioned, smirking slightly as he settled back into the bed, turning the pillow over to find the cool side before laying his head down carefully.

"For now." Jack replied, pouting slightly as he got into bed with Ianto.

"You know you don't have to stay tonight. Ria can check in on me, make sure I don't die during the night. Plus there's always Doctor Finn." Ianto teased, but there was a seriousness in his voice as he watched Jack pull the duvet up over both of them.

"I know, but your bed's comfier." Jack smiled. Ianto knew Jack was avoiding the real reason, avoiding revealing how he really felt about Ianto as he had been doing for so long now. The thing was though Jack was better at saying things with actions. He was a get up and go man rather than a poetic one and that was one of the reasons Ianto loved him. Also, if tonight's dinner and the fact Jack was now here in his bed without the promise of sex, an arm draped possessively over Ianto's torso, was anything to go by then Ianto had a pretty good idea that Jack felt the same way, even if he had never, and would never, voice it.

* * *

"Where do you think you're going?" Jack barked, hands on hips like he was some kind of mother hen as Ianto stopped in his tracks on the threshold of the kitchen.

"To the kettle." Ianto pointed dubiously across the expanse of his kitchen, shuffling further into the room, his eyes still on Jack warily.

"Why are you dressed in a suit?" Jack tried again.

"Because I didn't think it would be suitable to wear my maid's outfit." Ianto could play silly beggars all day if he wanted to.

"You have a maids outfit?" Jack voice sounded incredulous and Ianto smiled to himself as he poured hot water into his mug. Ianto turned around to find Jack shaking his head, presumable trying to get rid of the distracting image of Ianto with a feather duster in his hand wearing nothing more than a skimpy dress. That image would be distracting Jack all day and Ianto knew it.

"You're not going into work." Jack said defiantly, a finger pointing at Ianto like he was a naughty school child. Ianto looked impassive as he tried to fish his teabag out his mug with a knife that had been left on the breadboard.

"You're on a weeks holiday, sick leave, suspension. Don't care what you call it, you're not going into work." Jack continued, holding up a hand when Ianto looked like he was going to interrupt. "And if you say no I swear I will get Owen to sign you off saying you're a danger to the team and yourself if you don't get some rest."

Ianto sighed, sagging against the kitchen counter. He could use with some extra sleep, and his head was still throbbing spectacularly after it's meeting with the wall and the pavement yesterday. He'd honestly like to spend time with his nephew as well, maybe take him off Ria's hands for a few days so she could sort things out with Chris.

"Ok." Ianto agreed, nodding slightly. Jack seemed to sag with relief as well. "On one condition."

Jack's eyes widened slightly, eyeing Ianto suspiciously sure that the Welshman had some evil master plan tucked up his sleeves.

"What?" The word got lengthened in the middle by Jack's cautiousness.

"You take some time off too."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all the flattering comments guys it means a lot.

**strgzr **- don't worry you'll get to see pretty much everything that Jack and Ianto get up to on their time off! ;)

**laalratty **- I'm actually at Uni in Aber as well which is why I'm writing about it! ;)

* * *

"You're going on holiday?" Gwen asked again as Jack finished shuffling through the files on his desk, making sure there was nothing that couldn't wait a few days.

"Yup."

"With Ianto?" Gwen seemed to be working this one through in her head.

"Yup."

"For how long?"

"A few days." Jack replied as he piled the folders up on the corner of his desk before checking the bottom drawer was locked. He caught Gwen's sceptical look. "You'll manage fine without us I'm sure. Besides you'd have been managing without Ianto for the week anyway."

"He's not that badly injured is he?" Gwen suddenly looked extremely concerned.

"No, but he's run down and he's had a lot on his plate with his family recently." Jack stood up straight, a frown on his face. "Actually I can't remember the last time Ianto took time off work."

"Apart from his Mam dying and the whole thing with his Cyber-girlfriend." Owen spoke up from the doorway. Both Jack and Gwen turned to glare at Owen who held his hands up in defence.

"Just saying what you're all thinking." Owen shrugged, leaning off the doorframe and making to move away. "He alright this morning?" Owen inclined his head towards Jack.

"He's groggy, bit of a headache, but still as quick witted as ever." Jack gave a wry smile and Owen nodded in response, obviously satisfied that Ianto wasn't going to drop down dead anytime soon.

"So where you going on holiday then?" Tosh questioned, leaning on Jack's desk as he disappeared down his manhole.

"Somewhere in Wales. Aber something or other." Jack called back up through the hatch.

"Yeah, that narrows it down Jack." Owen scoffed.

"Abergavenny? Aberdare? Abertillery?" Gwen reeled off. She was going to run out of Aber's eventually. "Aberystwyth?"

"That's the one!" Jack yelled with triumph as a bag came soaring up the hole to land at Gwen's feet, followed closely by Jack.

"Apparently Wales' answer to Brighton." Jack smiled as he stuffed the shirt sleeves further into the bag.

"You two will fit right in then." Owen leered as Jack shot him another look.

"I think it's nice that you two are going on holiday." Tosh happily swung her legs clear of the desk as she watched Jack doing up his bag. "You can have romantic dinners', strolls on the beach and just get away from it all for a few days."

"As well as building sandcastles and playing trains and not stepping on the cracks in the pavement." Jack continued as three sets of eyes looked at him as if he had gone mad. A dazzling smile broke out on his face as he pulled his coat on before slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"We're taking Ianto's nephew, Finn, with us." Jack moved past Owen and across the hub to the door. "Have fun without us kids. And remember," Jack spun on his heel, raising a finger to point at them. "No calling us unless the worlds coming to an end."

All three of them watched as the cog door rolled back behind Jack.

"I do not envy Ianto." Owen sighed as he moved over to the autopsy bay.

"Why?" Gwen sounded thoroughly confused.

"He's not just got his nephew to contend with, he's got Jack as well." Owen replied as he disappeared out of sight. Tosh and Gwen exchanged a significant look of concern as realisation dawned.

* * *

"No." Ria shook her head slightly before turning and leaving Ianto's kitchen.

"What do you mean no?" Ianto turned, following Ria out of the kitchen.

"I mean no Ianto, how can I make myself more clear?" Ria was thundering up the stairs now, picking up the detritus of Finn as she went.

"Why not?" Ianto realised only after the words were out of his mouth how much like a whiney child he sounded. He couldn't help it though, his sister brought it out in him.

"Because I said no Ianto, now leave it." Ria moved into the spare bedroom where Finn was pulling his pyjama top over his head. He looked rather pleased with himself until Ria started digging his arms back out of the sleeves and turning the top the right way round.

"It's not as if he's going to miss nursery Ria. It's bank holiday weekend." Ianto tried to reason.

"Are we going somewhere?" Finn asked innocently as Ria pulled on his pyjama bottoms over his nappy.

"No, we're staying at Uncle Ianto's while he goes away on holiday with Jack." Ria said as she patted him on the backside. "Go do your teeth."

"Can we go on holiday with Jack and Uncle Ianto too?" Finn blinked up at his mother with wide eyes. Ianto knew that look; he'd used that look on his own mother when he was a kid.

"No." Rhiannon sighed, exasperated. "Now go do your teeth."

Finn frowned before disappearing out the bedroom and clomping down the hall; all but slamming the bathroom door open.

"Ria you need to sort things out with Chris and you can't really have adult," Ianto had to stop himself from using sarcastic quote marks, "conversations with Finn about can you?"

Ria sighed again, picking up Finlay's clothes and bundling them up in one hand as she pulled back the bedcovers ready for him.

"I don't want you taking him with you Ianto."

"I don't understand why not, it's not as if me and Jack aren't responsible. We can take care of a four year old for a few days." Ianto argued.

"I know you can." Ria turned to Ianto and he could see the tears in her eyes. "But he's my little boy and I've just lost my husband and I don't want – I can't –"

Ianto reached out and pulled his sister into his arms again, crushing her hands and Finn's dirty clothes between them.

"You need to sort this out Ria and if Finn's here you'll just be worrying about him all the time. Chris will just want to put it off to another time if Finn's there and he'll use Finn as leverage to get what he wants out of this and he definitely doesn't deserve anything." Ianto whispered into Ria's hair. "Do you really want Finn to hear all the arguing? Do you want him to have the lasting memory of his parents together at each other's throats?"

Ianto felt Ria shaking her head into his shoulder as she pulled back slightly.

"We'll call you every day and we'll take care of him." Ianto kissed Ria on the forehead as she pulled back. "Might even send you a postcard."

Ria laughed as she wiped at her eyes, brushing the tears from her cheeks with Finn's dirty clothes. Galumphing footsteps were coming back down the corridor and entering the bedroom again before jumping on the bed. Finn had toothpaste all over his face which made Ianto laugh and Ria roll her eyes.

"Come on you," Ria held out a hand to Finn, "Face wash."

"Also I might have a surprise for you." Ianto teased, but he missed Ria's warning look. "How would you like to come on holiday with me and Jack?"

"Really?" Finn bounced off the bed, jumping up and down in front of Ianto. Ianto nodded, a smile of his face.

"Yup. Also, if you're good me and Jack might take you on the train."

Finn squealed in delight, jumping up and down again before grabbing hold of his mother's outstretched hand and trying to make her jump as well.

"Mam! Thomas! Uncy Yan is gonna took me on Thomas!" Finn started dancing round his mother as he realised she was reluctant to join in the jumping up and down. Ria just glared at her brother who was watching the progress of his nephew with smiling eyes.

"You couldn't have waited until the morning to tell him?" Ria asked derisively.

"Why? Look how happy he is!" Ianto gestured at Finn who was starting to pack his toys into his Thomas the Tank Engine rucksack.

"Yes, but now you can have the pleasure of putting the hyper four year old to bed." Ria replied disdainfully as she disappeared out the bedroom. Ianto's face fell.

* * *

Ianto trudged back down the stairs a good hour and two stories later to find Rhiannon sat on the couch with her feet up watching FRIENDS.

"Get him to bed did you?" Ria asked mock innocently.

"Eventually." Ianto grumbled as he flopped down on the couch beside her. No sooner had his arse touched the cushions than the front doorbell rang.

"Well you can't moan." Ria continued, looking back at the TV screen as Ianto pulled himself back up onto his feet. "You were the one that got him all hyper about tomorrow."

Ianto rolled his eyes as he pulled open his front door to reveal his Captain taking up most of the doorframe.

"You're wearing that?" Ianto was scrutinizing Jack before he had even stepped over the threshold.

"It's what I usually wear." Jack replied, looking down at his military coat, shirt and trousers. "Why, is there something wrong with it?"

"You do realise we're going to mid-Wales," Ianto stated dubiously. "In rainy spring." He added when Jack's look remained impassive.

"Runs off when it gets to the skin." Jack replied, flashing Ianto a smile as he brushed past him into the hall.

"Don't you own jeans? Or a regular jacket?" Ianto questioned as he shut the door behind Jack. Jack didn't get a chance to reply before Finn was jumping up and down, tugging on the sleeve of Jack's coat.

"Jack! Guess what!" Finn screeched.

"I thought you were in bed?" Ianto asked sternly, but neither Jack nor Finn paid him the blindest bit of attention.

"What?" Jack questioned excitedly, bending down to Finn's level as he deposited his bag on the front doormat at Ianto's feet.

"We're going on holiday and, and," Finn continued to tug on Jack's sleeve like he was trying to gain the attention of an already attentive man. "Uncy Yan said we might go on a choo-choo train."

"Only if you go to bed Finn." Ianto threatened. "Now." He added when Finn didn't move. Finn seemed to jump slightly before scampering off up the stairs.

"See you tomorrow kid." Jack chuckled at Finn's retreating back.

A distant cry of, "Night Jack." floated down the stairs to them as Jack brought himself back to his feet, kicking off his shoes and hanging up his coat before turning to Ianto with a smile.

"Holiday starts here?" Jack asked, wiggling his eyebrows seductively as he leaned forward to try and capture a kiss from Ianto who dodged out of the way.

"What did you tell everyone?" Ianto asked as he lead the way into the living room where Ria was now channel hopping.

"That you and me were going on a top secret mission to the heart of Wales to check out those latest UFO sightings." Jack bluffed as he sat himself down in the armchair. Ianto gave him a look as he settled on the couch beside Ria.

"I just told them we were going on holiday for a few days, that you needed time off and I decided I would take some as well." Jack answered earnestly.

"I think they're more likely to believe the first one knowing you two." Ria laughed as Ianto and Jack shared a pointed look.

"When you thinking of heading out tomorrow?" Ria questioned as she passed the remote to Ianto, bored of channel hopping now.

"Well it's about a two and a half hour drive so I was thinking we could get there in time for a late lunch and then spend the rest of the day in town. I phoned the woman from that B&B you recommended and she said we can't get in until three anyway so we can just park the car outside of it and leave all the stuff in the boot. Maybe set off between ten and eleven, give us a little bit of leeway depending on the traffic, because you never know how busy the M4 is." Ianto reeled off.

"I only asked what time you were setting off." Ria laughed, staring at her brother incredulously. "Not a blow by blow account of the day."

"He likes to be organised." Jack said patronizingly, reaching out a hand and patting Ianto affectionately on the knee. Ianto pulled out of Jack's reach, scowling.

"It never hurts to be organised." Ianto huffed.

"We're going on holiday Ianto, not on an SAS survival weekend." Jack retorted.

"Still doesn't hurt to be organised." Ianto grumbled as he switched to the BBC interactive page to check the weather forecast for the weekend. Ria gave Jack a sympathetic look as he rolled his eyes. The biggest challenge that Jack would be facing this weekend was getting Ianto to relax for more than five seconds.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks again to everyone who is still reviewing (and welcome to new readers as well). They keep me going! :)

* * *

"And can we take this one too?" Finn thrust another train set under Ianto's nose as he tried to squash Jack's rucksack in beside Finn's already over flowing toy bag.

"We're only going for a few days Finn." Ianto reminded his nephew, "You don't have to take all your toys."

"I know, but I want to be prepared." Finn said, pressing the train set into Ianto's hand before running back into the house. Ianto was left to wonder and worry just what Finn was preparing for.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again," Jack groaned as he emerged from the front door, struggling under the weight of another bag. "We're only going for a long weekend, why do we need so much stuff?"

"Well Finlay's now packed nearly the whole of British rail in the boot of the car so that's not helping. But kids need a lot of things Jack. Finn needs more changes of clothes than us because he gets dirtier quicker, he needs a changing bag, he needs toys…"

"Okay, I get the point." Jack said, lifting the bag into the boot as Ianto lifted the child seat into the back of the car that Ria had retrieved out of her own car earlier on.

"Kids need a _lot_ of stuff."

"Did you bring swimming things by the way?" Ianto asked as he tried to figure out how to fit the car seat into the back of his car.

"Why would I need swimming things?" Jack asked peering round the side of the car at Ianto's arse.

"We're going to the seaside Jack." Ianto replied as he pulled on the seat belt trying to fit it through the straps at the back of the car seat.

"No one said anything about swimming in the sea to me." Jack huffed as he tried to move the bags in the boot around to fit the last one in before sudden realisation hit. "Does this mean I get to see you in Speedos?" Jack leered, leaning back round the side of the car to get another eyeful of Ianto's arse.

"Sorry to disappoint but I don't own Speedos." Ianto smiled as he ducked back out of the car to be met with Jack's pouting face.

Ianto spotted Finn running back down the path towards the car, carrying yet another armful of toys. Ianto cut him off before he even got to the pavement.

"No Finn! No more toys! We don't have room."

* * *

"And don't forget to call when you get there." Ria said, kissing Ianto on the cheek for the second time before triple checking if Finn was securely strapped into his car seat.

"Ria, we'll be fine. And I'll call everyday if you want me to." Ianto tried to sooth as Ria placed another kiss on Finn's head while he tried to wriggle free from his seat.

"No, no, it's ok. Just phone me when you get there," Ria pulled her head back out of the car to look at her brother again. "And maybe phone me when you're leaving on Monday." Ria added as Jack smiled over the top of the car at her.

"We'll call you every day. And don't worry I'll take care of both of them, make sure they don't get into trouble." Jack winked at Ria.

"I want them both back in one piece." Ria pointed a finger at Jack.

"I'm twenty-four not twelve." Ianto complained.

"Yes but you blatantly can't take care of yourself." Ria retorted as she reached up to touch the bruise on the side of Ianto's face. Ianto ducked free of her grasp.

"That was Jack's fault!" He moaned as he opened the drivers door.

"I saved you!" Jack corrected.

"Just take care of each other ok." Ria interrupted, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Can we go!" Finn called from inside the car.

* * *

"Are we nearly there yet?" Finn piped up from the back of the car.

"We haven't even left the road end Finn." Ianto replied as he shifted into second gear. He could still see Ria waving in the rear-view mirror.

"Yeah, but are we nearly there yet?" Finn asked again.

Jack chuckled as Ianto sighed, exasperated.

"No Finlay we are not nearly there yet." Ianto replied, losing patience already as he indicated right.

"Can we sing a song?" Finn asked after all of two seconds of silence. Jack twisted in his seat so he could see Finlay, ignoring Ianto who swatted at his shoulder as he tried to see out the side mirror.

"What would you like to sing?" Jack asked earnestly, pulling on the seatbelt so he could twist a little further.

"Um." Finn had a look of great concentration on his face as he thought about all the songs he knew. There was the Thomas the Tank Engine theme tune although that didn't have any words. There was ten green bottles but he liked to do the actions to that and he couldn't do them properly in the car without Uncy Yan yelling at him – again. There was also ten in the bed, but that needed actions too, maybe he could ask to sing that at bed time tonight? Finn was all ready for suggesting Old Macdonald, prepared to impress Jack with his wide knowledge of animals when he suddenly got a better idea.

"Wheels on the bus!" He shouted, trying to jump out of his seat.

"Good choice." Jack smiled as Ianto let out a slight groan.

"Do you know the words?" Finn asked dubiously.

"Why don't you start off to remind me."

Finn didn't need prompting twice.

"The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round." Finn started off, slightly out of tune but he didn't seem to care as he started moving his hands in a wheel motion.

"The wheels on the bus go round and round." Jack joined in, looking pointedly at Ianto who was just as meaningfully looking at the traffic lights ahead of him, waiting for them to turn green. "All day long."

By the time they'd reached the seventh verse Ianto was pulling onto the M4 and was most definitely grateful for the fact that the wheels on the bus finished with the people chattering. Jack had also joined in the actions by the second verse, beeping his imaginary horn and dinging his imaginary bell. Ianto was not however prepared for extra verses.

"The ghosts on the bus go boo boo boo." Jack started as Finn giggled.

"Jack, don't be silly, there's no ghosties on the bus." Finn reprimanded and Ianto wanted to kiss his nephew for stopping the song.

"Well what else do you get on the bus then?" Jack asked twisting in his seat again so he could see Finlay. "We can add more verses."

_Oh God_. Ianto thought as he overtook a Harwood's lorry. He glanced sideways as he passed it to see if Rhys was behind the wheel but it wasn't someone he recognised.

"What about a dog?" Finn's face was twisted into a look on concentration.

"And what would a dog go?"

"Ruff!" Finn barked, clapping his hands happily as he and Jack started the song again, Jack adding Grannies who knitted. Finn came up with monkey's who, well Ianto wasn't sure there was a word to describe the noises Finn and Jack were making. Ianto put his foot down though when Jack strayed into Torchwood territory.

"Why don't we put a story CD on?" Ianto asked suddenly, reaching over Jack's knees to fiddle with the glove box handle, fishing through the CDs inside trying to find the one CD of Finn's he knew he had in his car.

"How about we listen to Peter Pan, yeah?" Ianto didn't wait for a reply, pushing the CD into the car player, trying to keep one eye on the road.

Peter Pan didn't even last to the end of the M4.

"Are we nearly there?" Finn asked from the back of the car just after they'd passed the turn off for Port Talbot.

"No, not yet Finn." Ianto sighed. "Why don't you have a sleep and me and Jack will wake you up when we get there?"

"Not sleepy." Finn retorted. Ianto didn't have to glance in the rear-view mirror to see that Finn was pouting and had his arms crossed in a look of childish defiance. Ianto glanced imploringly at Jack but he still seemed to be smarting from the fact Ianto had interrupted the modified version of the wheels on the bus and was busy staring out the window at the smoking chimneys of Port Talbot disappearing into the distance.

Ianto muffled a yawn as he pulled back into the inside lane, he could certainly do with a nap even if Finn couldn't.

"You ok?" Jack's head snapped round. "Want me to drive for a bit?"

"No, I'm fine for the moment." Ianto lied, trying to muffle another yawn. "Maybe when we get to Llandelio you can drive the rest of the way."

Ianto later regretted asking Jack to drive.

"Again! Again!" Finn clapped his hands in the back as Jack swerved round another corner at too fast a speed for the road.

"Jack could you slow down a bit." Ianto reached out a hand to grab onto the dashboard. "I want to get there alive."

"Stop being a killjoy Ianto." Jack jeered as he swerved round a tightening bend, looking at Ianto as the car teetered over the white line and Ianto's door came very close to the wall there.

"Jack slow down! I don't want to almost die in the arse-end-of-nowhere Wales again!" Ianto yelled, stamping on imaginary breaks. There was a gasp from the back of the car and Ianto's head flipped round to check Finn was alright. The little boy had his hands over his mouth, trying and failing to hide a growing grin.

"Uncy Yan!" Finn gasped again. "You said a bad word!"

"I'll say more bad words if Jack doesn't slow down." Ianto ground out through gritted teeth. Jack put his foot on the brake and cruised round the next corner at a more leisurely pace.

"Sorry." Jack mumbled apologetically, glancing sideways at Ianto and feeling slightly guilty about the whole situation. He had forgotten they were only a few short miles from the Brecon Beacons. Jack hadn't realised that Ianto had seemed to plan their route so they avoided driving through the national park. It would have been a nice drive if it didn't harbour so many bad memories.

Ianto didn't say anything, just went back to staring out the passenger window as Jack flicked the radio on. The only radio station he could get to work was Radio Cymru though and Ianto had yet to teach him a word of welsh, telling Jack he only knew a few words. Jack was sure he was lying though. He knew for a fact that all Welsh people spoke welsh, even though Gwen and Ianto insisted otherwise. Also he had heard Ianto muttering in another language under his breath a few times.

It wasn't until Jack glanced at Ianto and Finn when he stopped at the traffic lights for the roadwork's in Lampter did he realise he was the only one still awake in the car. Finn's head was resting against the side of his car seat, mouth open as he drooled all over his chin. Ianto wasn't much better, head cradled on the seat belt, jerking every so often as he drifted that bit too deeply into sleep. Jack worried that he would whack his already tender head off the window if Jack braked too suddenly and slowed down to well under the speed limit as he passed out the other side of the University town.

He drove the rest of the way lost in his own thoughts, trying to remember the last time he had been on holiday, if he had ever been on holiday. Tosh was right though he decided. It would be nice to spend some quality time with Ianto away from the end of the world and aliens. Jack was worried he would get bored though, although he doubted that with Finlay in tow. He found himself wondering if Ianto had been like Finlay as a kid. Ria had always tried to paint a picture of her little brother growing up whenever she spoke to Jack but she seemed to deal only in circumstantial details that never revealed Ianto's true character. The only glimpse Jack had got of Ianto as a child had been when he had caught Ianto watching family films the week after his mother had died. All that had told him was that his older sister's used to pick on him and he loved his mother very much. That and he had owned Postman Pat slippers.

Clearing out Ianto's old room had also unearthed a childhood Ianto, but again it hadn't really revealed anything telling about Ianto's character. Alf was still sat on the bookshelf beside Ianto's double bed though and Jack was sure he had glimpsed some of the Beano albums Jack had stuffed into black bags under the bed.

Jack hoped that the presence of Finn would worm out some of that childish innocence that Jack knew lay somewhere in the recesses of Ianto's mind. He'd already seen the naughty child in Ianto. Jack smiled to himself as he drove past the welcome to Aberystwyth sign, plucking the map from Ianto's lap without waking him. Jack reluctantly woke Ianto though when he drove down the same street for the third time in ten minutes.

"Hmm?" Ianto yawned, stretching slightly in the confined space of the car, rubbing his cheek where it had been resting against the seat belt.

"Uh, I think I got us lost." Jack smiled apologetically as Ianto plucked the map from Jack's hands. "I got us to Aberystwyth though."


	4. Chapter 4

Appologies to everyone who's been tormented by the Wheels on the Bus for the last couple of days! ;) Also warning for this chapter MAJOR fluff followed by angst!

* * *

"Jack you're heading up towards the University again." Ianto frowned looking back down at the map. "You should have gone left back there."

"You never said anything about turning left." Jack replied as he swerved into a cul-de-sac to do a U-turn half way up the hill to the University.

"Yes I did. I said you needed to be in the inside lane so you could go left."

"I don't know what an inside lane is." Jack shrugged. "Am I going right here then?" Jack flicked on the indicator and made the turn before Ianto even had a chance to reply.

"I don't know why you don't have sat nav in your car Ianto. It would make things so much simpler." Jack complained as he revved the engine up the hill, narrowly avoiding a Clio full of students.

"I don't see how, you never listen to the sat nav in the SUV anyway." Ianto grouched, glancing between the map and the road in front. "Just follow the road round until you get to the sea front and then take a left."

"Where now?" Jack asked as he sped down the sea front road, almost running over a couple of pedestrians that stepped out onto the zebra crossing.

"It's up here on the left somewhere, number 13. Mrs. Evans said to just park on the sea front somewhere." Ianto said, trying to look out for a parking spot while simultaneously looking for the bed and breakfast. Jack spotted the place before Ianto did.

"There we go," Jack said, pulling into a parking space on the other side of the road. "Right outside the door, couldn't ask for somewhere better."

Ianto looked across the road at the yellow building. There was a plaque next to the front door that red 'Gwyn Hafan, luxury seafront serviced apartments'. It wasn't exactly the bed and breakfast Ianto had envisioned. He had been too distracted though when he called up yesterday; Ria had been on the phone in the other room to Chris yelling and crying at appropriate intervals.

Jack was getting out the car, stretching and gazing out into the bay that Ianto had yet really to take any notice of. He undid his seatbelt and got out the car as well, glancing in the back to notice that Finn was still dead to the world. He blinked dazedly in the sunshine reflecting off the water as he peered over the top of the car, watching Jack as he breathed in great lung-full's of air.

"I may change my mind about going for a swim." Jack said as he stepped up onto the curb so he could see further out to sea. Ianto closed his eyes for a moment, basking in the warm glow of the sun as he listened to the seagulls squawking overhead, transporting him back to childhood summers spent in Tenby. He could hear children laughing, the smell of sea air and his mother calling his name as he ran up and down the beach, his sister's chasing him.

"Ianto?" Jack was stood by him now, a hand on his shoulder, a questioning look on his face.

"I'll just call Mrs. Evans, let her know we're here." Ianto smiled before fishing his phone out his pocket. "Why don't you wake Mr. Grumpy?" Ianto suggested, motioning towards the back of the car.

"I already woke him up." Jack smiled cheekily as Ianto glared back in return.

* * *

"Mrs. Evans told me what Gwyn Hafan means." Jack said conversationally as he hefted the last of the bags in the front door, letting it bang shut behind him as Finn raced by again, exploring every room at least twice.

"Finn, don't run in the apartment please." Ianto called before turning back to Jack. "She did?" Ianto waited expectantly, he knew this was Jack trying to test him, still convinced that he knew Welsh and was just refusing to teach Jack any.

"She told me it means blessed haven." Jack replied after a long moment, looking for any tell tale sign that Ianto already knew this nugget of information. Ianto was too busy watching Finlay race back down the hall between bedrooms to notice.

"With this one I doubt it'll be anything near a haven." Ianto smiled as he moved round the kitchen counter. "Finlay will you stop running in the apartment otherwise," Ianto was cut off by the sound of a loud thump followed by the wails of an injured child.

"What did I tell you!" Ianto reprimanded as he moved out into the hall to find his nephew lying on the floor holding the left side of his head as he bawled his eyes out.

"Come here." Ianto said softly as he lifted his nephew into his arms, trying to pry the small boys fingers away from his head. "Did you run into the door?"

Ianto watched as Finn nodded guiltily, rubbing at his eyes as he sniffed pathetically.

"Did you get a bump on the head like Uncle Ianto?" Jack asked from down the hall.

Finn nodded again, pouting slightly. "Want Mummy to kiss it better."

"Mummy's not here, but I could kiss it better." Ianto tried to persuade as he carried Finn back into the living room and sat down with him in one of the armchairs. Finn shook his head but continued to cling onto Ianto's t-shirt while sat in his lap.

"What about if Jack kisses it better?" Ianto asked looking up at Jack who was busy rummaging in Ianto's bag for the first aid kit Jack knew he would have packed. Finn seemed to consider this for a long moment before he was nodding slowly. Ianto smiled as he pulled himself back to his feet and passed Finn onto Jack.

"The masses have spoken." Ianto said wryly as he watched Jack place Finn on the kitchen counter and put a brightly coloured plaster over the forming bump on Finn's head.

"I'm surprised we've still got plaster's left after you doing your rounds yesterday." Jack said to Finn while Ianto watched on fondly as Jack kissed Finlay on the forehead before picking the boy up again.

"Better?" Jack asked as Finn nodded slowly in return, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Did you kiss Uncy Yan's better?" Finn asked as he threw his arms affectionately round Jack's neck. Jack gasped over dramatically, putting his free hand to his mouth.

"I forgot." He looked apologetically over at Ianto who was putting the first aid kit back together. "Do you think it's too late now?" Jack asked turning back to Finn.

Finn shook his head enthusiastically, smiling now, all trace of guilt and hurt at running into the door gone.

"Shall we both kiss it better just to make sure?" Jack asked the four year old, watching Ianto who was trying not to smile while surreptitiously trying to move further away from the two. Finn nodded again and Jack reached out his free hand for Ianto.

"Come here Uncle Ianto. Doctor Finn and Nurse Jack need to minister to you." Jack said with a mischievous smile as he grasped Ianto's wrist before he could disappear out the door again. Jack lifted up Finn so he could kiss Ianto on the forehead. It was a slobbery four year old kiss that Ianto wasn't sure he appreciated wholeheartedly.

"Better?" Jack asked as Ianto looked down into Finn's hopeful face.

Ianto nodded slightly before looking up at Jack. "A little."

"You try Jack." Finn said prodding Jack in the side.

Jack put a hand on Ianto's shoulder reaching up to plant a gentle kiss on the gauze on Ianto's forehead, pressing a second kiss to the tender skin just below the gauze. Jack pulled back resisting the urge to press another kiss to Ianto's lips. His gaze settled on Ianto's instead, a look in Ianto's eyes that Jack couldn't decipher.

"Did Jack make it better?" Finn prompted, reaching out a hand to tug on Ianto's jacket sleeve when no reply came.

"Much better." Ianto replied a little breathlessly as he tore his gaze away from Jack's to look at his nephew who was now trying to wriggle out of Jack's grasp. Jack noticed and put Finn down on the floor.

"Why don't you go and unpack your toys." Ianto prompted, passing Finn his Thomas the Tank Engine backpack from the chair before he toddled out of the room.

"And no running again!" Ianto called after him.

Ianto turned his attention back to Jack to find him still gazing intently in his direction.

"Uh, why don't I unpack the food and you can take our bags through to the room." Ianto said as he sidestepped Jack into the kitchen, ignoring the piercing gaze Jack was giving him.

He only turned round when he heard the heavy tread of Jack's boots disappearing down the corridor, the room suddenly seeming far too big without Jack in it. Ianto took off his coat, hanging it on the back of the door next to Jack's, his fingers running down the length of the RAF jacket as he sighed.

* * *

They couldn't contain Finn for long, he was champing at the bit to cross the road and play on the beach even if it was already late afternoon. Ianto had said he would stay behind to make dinner but Jack had argued that he was on holiday and therefore not doing any of the cooking all week before pushing him out the front door.

Jack now watched from further up the beach, trying to shift some of the stones so he could get comfy. Ianto had his jeans rolled up to his knees and was gingerly walking down the beach to the edge of the water, one arm out in front of him, being tugged along by Finn who was screaming with excitement. Jack laughed as Ianto put one foot in the water before high tailing it back out again. Finn didn't seem to care; he was running in and out, screaming with glee as he tried to avoid the waves.

Jack watched Ianto just stood there observing Finn like he was unsure what to do. It surprised Jack that someone so young had forgotten how to be a kid so quickly. He wanted to go down and join them, run in and out of the waves with Ianto and Finn giggling like he was five years old again. He didn't though; he waited and he watched as Finn encouraged Ianto by running round him and tugging on his clothes, willing his Uncle to join in.

Ianto finally got the hint, running towards the waves as they went back out to sea and running back up the beach again when they came back in. He seemed self conscious about it at first, but even at this distance Jack could see the start of a tentative smile on Ianto's face.

As Jack watched Ianto seemed to grow in confidence, chasing Finn up and down the beach as well as chasing the waves. They seemed to be daring each other to stay in the water longer than the other one, shrieks of laughter drifting up the beach to Jack making him smile in return.

His gaze drifted further along the beach to parents with their children, making sandcastles and playing football. There were students as well pretending to revise but more interested in watching the dolphins bobbing about in the bay or distracting each other with dirty jokes. He watched an elderly couple sitting down on a bench back up the promenade with their ice-creams, not saying anything, just sitting in companionable silence.

As his attention wandered back to Finn and Ianto now splashing each other he had a brief glimpse of life outside Torchwood, of a world where life's biggest problem was getting grass stains out of little boys clothes and arguing in the car about getting lost. And for one selfish moment Jack wanted to say 'screw the world'. He wanted to be lying in bed hung-over on a Sunday. He wanted children throwing temper tantrums in the vegetable aisle at the supermarket. He wanted weekend runs to the country and family days out.

He watched Ianto swing Finn up over his shoulder before carrying him back up the beach towards Jack, the smile on his face crinkling the gauze on his forehead, bringing Jack back to reality with a jolt. He could never have those things; and Ianto never would have.

"I thought we could cook this fish I caught for dinner Captain." Ianto said when he was close enough, giving a mock salute which caused Finn to shriek in protest and Jack to chuckle.

* * *

Ianto watched the tide coming in as he listened to the phone ringing on the other end of the line. He was worried that if he moved too far away from the window he would lose reception but he was also engrossed by the white horses lashing onto the beach three stories below him.

"Hello?" Ria eventually picked up just before the answering machine kicked in. She sounded tired and fed up and Ianto wished he could reach down the phone and hug her.

"Hey Ria, it's me. Just letting you know that's us here."

A sigh of relief greeted him on the other end of the phone.

"Journey ok?"

"Apart from Jack almost crashing the car." Ianto smiled to himself as he watched a small child chasing the far too large seagulls. No doubt Finn would be doing the same tomorrow. "Also Jack saw fit to make up several more verses to wheels on the bus, so you'll be getting bombarded with them when we get home."

"Finn ok in the car?" Ria questioned as Ianto heard the clinking of a glass down the other end of the line.

"Apart from 'are we nearly there yet?' every two minutes." Ianto heard Ria laugh softly. "Do you want to speak to him? Jack's just reading him a bedtime story."

"Please."

Ianto reluctantly moved away from the window towards the other room. "Did you speak to Chris today?"

"Shouted more than spoke really. Maybe not my best approach but I'm still angry with him."

"Understandable I think Ria." Ianto replied, pausing outside Finn's room where he could hear Jack's dulcet tones drifting through the door.

"I think it was more the fact that he's decided he wants full custody of Finn."

"What?!" Ianto all but yelled down the phone. "He can't do that!"

"He'll certainly try." Ria sighed again. "I don't want to talk about it anymore tonight Ianto. Is Finlay there?"

"Yeah," Ianto pushed the door to the bedroom open and found both sets of eyes already looking his way, obviously heard his earlier exclamation. "We'll call you again tomorrow Ria." Ianto said into the phone before pulling it away from his ear and stepping into the room.

"Mummy wants to say goodnight." Ianto said, handing his phone to his nephew before moving back out the room.

He went back to the window in the living area overlooking the promenade and the sea. He'd always loved the sea, being able to see absolutely nothing for miles; just endless waves of untouched nature. He could see cormorants perched on the rocks further round the bay. There was a group of students gathering at the other end of the beach on the pebbles with several disposable barbeques bought from Morrisons, alcohol cunningly disguised in Hessian 'save the planet' bags. He didn't know how long he stood watching the tide swallowing the last remnants of sand on the beach before he felt Jack's hand on the small of his back, making him start slightly.

"Everything alright?" Jack questioned, not looking at Ianto but choosing to stare out to the horizon with him.

"If alright meant that my sister's marriage has fallen apart and Finn's usually absent father wants him permanently, added to the fact it feels like my head is going to explode any minute then yeah Jack, everything is alright." Ianto replied, tone harsh and condescending. He didn't mean to take it out on Jack not when he seemed to be nothing but supportive these days but Ianto was tired and fed up of bearing the world on his already aching shoulders. He didn't know how Jack managed it year after year without someone to share the burden.

Ianto sighed, trying to relieve some of the building tension, turning to face Jack. "I'm sorry, I'm just,"

"It's fine." Jack said shaking his head slightly before leaning in to capture Ianto's lips in a tender and comforting kiss. Jack's hand drifted up to massage the back of Ianto's neck, Ianto letting out a soft moan in response, his head dropping gently onto Jack's shoulder.

"I don't deserve you." Ianto whispered softly into the cotton of Jack's shirt as Jack's fingers continued to work their magic.

Jack's features twisted into a slight frown. _No_, he thought, _you deserve so much more._


	5. Chapter 5

I'm personally not a fan of this chapter, but I thought you lot would be the better judges so let me know what you think! I think it might be because it's serious time that I'm not keen! /

* * *

"I was thinking we could go to Devil's Bridge tomorrow, go on the Vale of Rheidol Railway." Ianto said as he continued to sift through the booklet full of things to do in Aberystwyth that he had found on the coffee table.

"I thought that was the main reason for coming here?" Jack frowned as he poured hot water into both of the cups on the side.

"Well that was one of the reasons, but I think the main reason was a holiday." Ianto replied sarcastically as he flicked through the leaflet about the Vale of Rheidol Railway.

"And yet you're acting like we're still at work." Jack mumbled under his breath as he tried to fish the tea-bags out the mugs.

"The first train leaves at half ten in the morning and then we can go for a walk round Devil's Bridge. Says here that there's a shop and a café at the train station if we finish early and then we can get the last train back which is at 4 o'clock." Ianto continued, ignoring Jack's comment.

"We can get some sandwiches for lunch in town and maybe stop half way round the walk for lunch, doesn't say if there's any benches but I presume there is." Ianto pulled himself to his feet, reaching for the TV remote. "I'll just check the weather for tomorrow."

Jack rolled his eyes as he sat down on the couch, two mugs of tea in hand.

"Ianto just leave it. If it rains, it rains, if it's sunny then I'm sure you'll have already packed the suntan lotion just in case." Jack reprimanded as he nudged Ianto with his foot. "Come sit down and relax."

Ianto ignored Jack, flicking up the teletext and looking for the forecast for Aberystwyth.

"Ianto Jones sit down and drink your tea before I make you!" Jack commanded. Ianto turned round to look at Jack incredulously before switching the television off, moving back to sit down on the sofa and taking the proffered mug of tea from Jack's hand.

"Sometimes I wonder if you even have the word relax in your internal dictionary." Jack teased as he watched Ianto wrapping his hands round his mug.

"I just like to be organised." Ianto sulked, shifting further back into the cushions and pulling his bare feet up onto the sofa. Jack sighed, reaching out and putting a hand on Ianto's thigh.

"I know you like being organised but there's being organised and there's being Mein Führer." Jack rubbed Ianto's thigh through the thin cotton of his pyjama bottoms, trying to be reassuring as well as telling him off.

"Just take a step back for the next few days, okay? Be unorganised-easy-going Ianto instead of efficient-does-everything-three-times Ianto. Take a leaf out of Owen's book." Jack coaxed, watching Ianto warily. "You never know, you might like it."

Ianto sighed, leaning his head into the couch cushions, pulling his mug of tea close to his chest.

"I just find it hard to switch off some times." Ianto complained, closing his eyes briefly.

"You don't need to tell me that Ianto, I know you," There was conviction in Jack's words. "And I don't think I can do the things I normally do to make you relax, not with a child sleeping in the next room." Jack said cheekily which coaxed a smile out of Ianto.

"You're just as bad though." Ianto rebuked after a moment, looking up at Jack. "It's supposed to be a holiday for both of us and yet you won't let me lift a finger."

"I'll have you know I find doing the dishes quite relaxing. I've found a real penchant for it ever since I started doing it at your house," Jack hesitated, the image of stale mini-quiches next to star lilies fresh in his mind with a red eyed Ianto. "That week." He glanced guiltily at Ianto who was busy staring into the depths of his mug of tea while simultaneously trying to drown himself in it.

"Why don't we watch a film?" Jack asked, pulling himself to his feet in a desperate attempt to change the subject. Ianto opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but he closed it again, too tired to say anything now.

* * *

The organ music was tragically familiar to him as he took slow deliberate steps down the centre aisle, empty pews mocking in the absence of people. Three coffins were laid out in regimented order, flags decorating the wooden veneer.

He listened to the tapping sound of someone knocking on wood as the American flag on the last coffin slipped to the floor. He rushed to pick it up, laying it back over the coffin and the brass plaque there that announced the man's title as being Captain of his troop. Every time he replaced the flag it slide to the floor again as if it didn't want to be buried with it's occupant. Eventually he removed the poppy from the lapel of his black suit jacket and fixed it to the flag, hooking it through one of the nails in the coffin that hadn't been hammered in far enough.

"He's not coming back you know." Soft elegant fingers pushed another poppy through the lapel of his jacket. "Not this time."

"He never came home from the battle." He replied, hearing the rhythmic drip of blood on stone, deafening in the silence of the church.

"Neither did you." Came the whispered reply of his mother as haunted faces reared up in front of him, screams ringing in his ears as the American flag slipped to the floor again. Jack's white face stared up at him with dead eyes, half converted into a Cyberman before he felt hands on his neck throttling him.

Ianto woke with a start, almost falling off the sofa as he gasped for air, clutching blindly for something to cling onto.

"Hey, woah," Jack's gentle voice cut through the post nightmare haze. His face swum before Ianto's unfocused gaze, alive and whole and Ianto sprung into his arms without hesitation.

"Hey, it's ok." Jack soothed again, a hand going to the back of Ianto's neck as Ianto folded his legs under him in an effort to get closer to Jack.

Ianto shook in Jack's arms as he clawed at the back of Jack's shirt, trying to take deep steadying breaths. It took a moment for him to compose himself before he was pulling away from Jack. Jack reluctantly drew back from him, but kept a hold of his arms.

"You ok?" Jack asked, voice full of worry as Ianto glanced sideways at the television, trying to avoid Jack's gaze. The film was still playing in the background and Ianto managed a shaky nod in reply.

"You want to talk about it?" Jack pushed, a hand moving up to brush the hair off Ianto's sweaty forehead. Ianto considered for a moment as his gaze flickered to Jack, blue eyes full of caring concern. He shook his head once, not trusting his voice to answer for him. He considered moving away back to the other end of the couch but he feared falling asleep again. He hesitated a moment as Jack continued to watch him uncertainly, a hand still at the back of Ianto's neck, the other on his arm.

Jack rubbed his arm reassuringly and that was all the encouragement Ianto needed to settle down on Jack's chest, his head tucked under one of Jack's arms like it was a wing. Ianto's right hand clutched at Jack's knee while calloused fingers carded through his hair, both of them pretending to watch the remainder of the film.

* * *

It wasn't until later that they talked. They were getting ready for bed, brushing teeth and putting on pyjamas, not pulling at each other's clothes in a desperate need for a change.

"When did we become, I mean," Ianto stuttered, pulling the duvet back and chucking the decorative throw pillows on the floor at the foot of the bed.

He started again. "When did we become more than just sex Jack?" He couldn't bring himself to use the word relationship; not yet.

"I believe that was sometime after I asked you out on a date. That's what usually happens when people date Ianto." Jack sounded slightly condescending as he pulled his cufflinks from his shirt cuffs, placing them on the bedside table.

"No, but when did we," Ianto waved his arms vaguely round the room, encompassing the bed and the two of them and consequentially everything they had become. "When did we start being a couple?"

"Again I'm going with the date thing." Jack nodded slowly, un-tucking his shirt from his trousers.

"Jack, stop being so bloody awkward! You know what I mean, when did we start caring about each other, when did we stop being just sex, when did we fall in love and become an actual functioning relationship where we go on holiday together?" Ianto finally burst, saying more than he had ever meant to. Jack stopped unbuttoning his shirt, hands hovering in mid-air, watching Ianto.

"Uh," Jack seemed at a loss for words, impersonating a goldfish before rubbing nervously at the back of his neck.

"I mean, when did we start being normal like Gwen and Rhys?" Ianto clarified, voice quieter now, almost unsure.

"Ok, we're going bungee jumping on our next date if you think we're getting like Gwen and Rhys." Jack quipped, pointing a finger in Ianto's direction.

"How did we end up here?" Ianto asked ignoring Jack's attempt at a joke as he self consciously fluffed one of the pillows.

"I presume you're not looking for an answer that starts with 'I asked you out on a date'." Jack said eventually. Ianto didn't reply, just watched Jack as he shed himself of shirt and trousers so he was just stood in his underwear.

"I think things changed with us after your Mam died." Jack eventually said as he sat down on the bed, motioning for Ianto to join him. "I think we definitely stopped being just sex after that because I realised how much I cared about you."

"But you left." It was out of Ianto's mouth before he could stop himself. He tried to cover his childish blurt by pulling the duvet up round him, trying to cocoon himself in it.

"I left." Jack clarified, twisting on the bed slightly so he could see Ianto better. They'd already had this conversation. Ianto had yelled, Jack had apologised, made his excuses and they'd been out on their first date. But there were words Jack had already said that merited repeating.

"But I came back, for you. I realised while I was away that I missed you, I truly missed you, and it wasn't just the sex I missed, although don't get me wrong, I did miss the sex." Jack gave a toothy grin, before he was back to being serious again. "I missed waking up next to you, I missed the flirting and the secret smiles. I wanted to come back and hug and kiss you just for the sake of it, not because the situation required it."

"It started out as just comfort." Ianto whispered, still clutching onto the duvet. "Just a distraction from the pain and the grief and then one morning I woke up and you weren't there and I missed you, I really missed you Jack." Ianto gave Jack a meaningful look.

"And then you came back and you were different, but in a good way, and I suddenly found myself feeling things I hadn't felt since Lisa." Ianto's hand found it's way on top of where Jack's was resting on the mattress.

"If it makes you feel any better I know several thousand planets that would be shocked that Captain Jack Harkness is now a one person man." Jack smiled.

"This is all your fault you know." Ianto said after a moment.

"What is?" Jack frowned, turning to look at Ianto.

"This relationship." Ianto said offhandedly.

"We're assigning blame for this being a relationship? So it's not a good thing that we're in a relationship? 'Cause if you feel that way then you can go sleep on the couch!" Jack replied in mock hurt.

"Well we've got to blame someone and you seem the logical choice. Or we could blame Owen, it's usually Owen's fault." Ianto shrugged.

"I'll inform him at the next staff meeting." Jack made a mental note as he smiled at Ianto, settling back into the pillows and pulling some of the covers from round Ianto over himself.

"Do you never think about having all this?" Jack asked after a moment, gesturing to the room as Ianto too settled back into the pillows.

"I have a very comfy house with a bedroom just like this back in Cardiff Jack."

"Now who's playing dumb." Jack glanced sidelong at Ianto. "I mean going on holiday with the kids, having a family, life outside Torchwood, you know." Jack shrugged the question off.

"I think about it some days, but to be honest Jack babysitting once a week is enough for me. I love my family, but I love my life at Torchwood too. I couldn't give up either."

Jack frowned. "That didn't really answer my question."

Ianto seemed to contemplate the question for a little longer before answering. "Yeah, to a certain extent, I suppose I do think about it. I used to think about it more when me and Lisa were together, it seemed more feasible then." Ianto shrugged, looking at Jack who was now studying the ceiling very intently.

"Occasionally I day dream about us growing old together on a veranda somewhere in the middle of Wales, you flirting shamelessly with the paper boy while I mend your greatcoat."

Jack chuckled at the image. "You really think about that?" Jack almost sounded surprised.

"Don't you?" Ianto questioned.

Jack frowned, biting his lip before answering. "I try to, but it just depresses me 'cause I know it'll never happen. Here's the morbid truth Ianto, you will die young and handsome while I continue to age well into the next millennia, leaving me old and alone."

"Today is a gift Jack, that's why they call it the present."

"Thank you Hallmark Ianto." Jack rolled his eyes at the younger man.

"All I'm saying Jack is you deserve a bit of happiness, and not to sound selfish, so do I, so why not make the most of now?" Ianto gave a half smile, his azure eyes piercing Jack's.

Jack used that as an excuse to capture Ianto's lips in a passionate kiss. Ianto put a hand on top of Jack's as it started to undo his pyjama bottoms.

"Finn's in the next room." Ianto warned.

Jack pouted. "Not even if I gag you?"


	6. Chapter 6

We're back to the silly in this chapter again, and apologies for it taking so long! :) Don't ask me to pronouce the Welsh place names because I stuggle at the best of times and I live there - I'm very much like Jack. Fach means little for those of you that are interested. Enjoy! :)

* * *

"Here."

"What are these?" Jack asked, a confused look on his face as he took the offending article from Ianto's hands.

"Jeans, Jack. Made of denim. Originally worn by workers in the second world war, became really popular with teenagers in the 1950's." Ianto answered mockingly as he pulled on his own rather scruffy pair of Levi's.

"I know what jeans are Ianto, why are you giving them to me?"

"Because it's pouring down outside and you can't walk round in that stupid greatcoat wearing good trousers in the rain and mud. There's a spare waterproof in the back of the car as well."

"I thought you loved my coat." Jack pouted, looking forlornly at the jeans in his hands as Ianto pulled a t-shirt over his head.

"I do," Ianto gave a slight smile as he noticed Jack's pout. "It's just impractical for walking in the Welsh countryside in the spring." Ianto reasoned as he moved round the bed so he was standing in front of a still pouting Jack.

"You know I don't actually need a new bookshelf at the moment." Ianto teased, kissing Jack's lower lip that was jutting out. Jack looked confused.

"Mam used to say when we were kids that she didn't need a new bookshelf whenever any of us used to pout." Ianto shrugged.

"Now are you going to willingly show your arse off in those jeans or am I going to have to hide all your other trousers?" Ianto asked, hands on his hips.

"I'll just go naked then." Jack argued, a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he stepped closer to Ianto, wrapping his hands round Ianto's waist and letting his finger's slide under the waistband of Ianto's jeans.

"I wouldn't put it past you." Ianto mumbled as he pressed his lips to Jack's again, his hands roaming down to Jack's arse, both of them oblivious to the bedroom door opening to admit a curious four year old.

"Uncy Yan!" Finn whined as Ianto jumped back from Jack as if burned. Finn toddled over to Ianto grappling to be picked up and Ianto obliged.

"Come on, we'll go find your wellies while Jack gets dressed." Ianto said heading towards the bedroom door with Finn in his arms. Ianto missed the tongue Finn poked out at Jack in triumph, Jack retaliating just as childishly.

* * *

They had breakfast in a small Welsh café where everyone knew everyone else's name.

"Morning Mrs. Jones, how's Johnny fach the day?"

"Is everyone in this country called Jones?" Jack whispered in Ianto's ear conspiratorially as they watched the woman behind the counter conversing with an aging granny with a blue rinse.

"We're all one big happy family." Ianto replied mockingly as he continued to tuck a napkin into the neck of Finn's t-shirt who was too busy trying to cram half a sausage in his mouth to notice that tomato ketchup was busy dribbling down his chin.

"Chew your food Finn." Ianto chided, taking Finn's knife and fork and proceeding to cut up Finn's breakfast into more consumable chunks.

Jack rolled his eyes as he looked miserably out the window of the small café. It was still raining like it had been since the early hours of the morning, sheets of rain bouncing off the tarmac outside as the door blew open to admit soaking pensioners and their morning shopping. He could just see patches of blue drifting by but not staying long enough to dry up. Ianto was insistent they were still going though. So said the fact he had on his hiking boots, waterproofs in his rucksack as well as a change of clothes for Finlay. If Jack was honest there was really no going back after Jack had let slip as he was brushing his teeth that they were planning on going on the train that day. Finlay had been smiling ever since.

Jack picked up his mug of coffee and took a sip. He tried not to grimace, but the problem was there was no going back after you'd tasted a cup of Ianto's home brew. The breakfast had been good though.

"Everything alright for you?" The large Welshwoman bustled over to them, wiping her hands on her piny before she was gathering the plates from the table.

"Yes thank you, it was lovely." Ianto smiled politely up at her as he removed the napkin from Finn's t-shirt and proceeded to wipe his face.

"You looked like you enjoyed it love." The woman was addressing Finn now who was nodding enthusiastically.

"It was yummy." Finn agreed, licking his lips for emphasis.

"You just down for the weekend then?" She asked as she piled cutlery on top of the pile of plates before wiping the table.

"Yeah, just visiting from Cardiff." Ianto replied again. "This one wanted to go on the trains." Ianto indicated Finn.

"We're going to ride Thomas today." Finn said excitedly, bouncing slightly in his seat.

"Oh Thomas is it? I would've thought it'd been Ivor the Engine you'd have been going on." She smiled before turning to Ianto. "Probably a bit too young to know about Ivor."

"My sisters and I used to watch it when we were kids. The Locomotive of the Merioneth and Llantisilly Rail Traction Company Limited which was a very long name for a little engine, so his friends called him Ivor." Ianto recited from memory which caused the woman to laugh.

"Looks like he's not the only one excited about today." She replied as she shuffled away. When Ianto looked round Jack was smiling at him warmly, a twinkle in his eye.

"You're just full of useless information aren't you?" Jack asked rhetorically.

"I know everything." Ianto said with a wink as Finn leaned over the table and tugged on Ianto's sleeve, almost bouncing out his seat.

"Can we go on the train now?" Finn questioned, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice and failing.

"You get your coat on and I'll go and pay." Ianto replied, rolling his eyes. Jack ended up putting the coat on Finn, the four year old too excited to tell his right from his left and the back from the front of his coat. When Ianto had finished paying for breakfast Finn was holding the café door open, jiggling from one foot to the other willing Ianto to hurry up as the wet weather whipped round him and into the café making the customers nearest the door more disgruntled than they already were.

"Hope the weather picks up for you." The woman called as they exited the café.

* * *

By the time they were stood on the platform waiting for the train to be brought out of the shed the rain was easing off. Ianto's jeans were sticking to him uncomfortably and Jack was bemoaning the fact that he wouldn't have had the problem of chaffing jeans if Ianto had let him wear normal trousers. Ianto just glared as Finn continued to jiggle from foot to foot as a whistle sounded in the distance.

"It's coming Uncy Yan! The train's coming!" Finn pulled on Ianto's hand to make sure that he had heard before pointing wildly at the approaching carriages.

"I can see Finn." Ianto replied with the patience of a schooled parent as the Engine approached. Ianto had to hold Finn back whom was desperately trying to get at the train before it came to a complete stop.

"Look, it's James!" Finn said waving at the red engine with his free hand as the other strained to get free from Ianto's hold. Ianto smiled as he looked up at the engine, 'Prince of Wales' printed down the side of it. Ianto idly wondered that if he asked they would let him and Finn see inside the cab at the other end, purely for educational purposes and Finn he hoped they realised.

Finn wasn't any less excitable when the ticket man started opening the doors and admitting them onto the train. Jack seemed to be marginally less whiney though now that they were in the dry of the carriage and had seats, albeit the most uncomfortable seats Ianto had ever had the pleasure of sitting in. He stuck to the leather of the seats and the wooden back of them dug into the base of his spine. Finn didn't seem too bothered though, his legs swinging as he gazed dreamily out the window at the platform as the main train between Aberystwyth and Birmingham New Street arrived.

Ianto was surprised at the number of people that were bundling onto the small train; lots of families with kids as well as old retired couples from the north of Wales. He even overheard some Americans shuffling down the platform into the first class carriage. Ianto shifted in his seat uncomfortable as he considered paying the extra two pounds for a comfier seat. As the train set off though he found himself engrossed at the slowly passing countryside, watching Aberystwyth disappear behind him with the National Library of Wales on the hill.

"Good morning Mr. Magpie how are you today?" Jack asked as a magpie flew over the roof of the train and landed in a nearby tree. Finn giggled as Ianto gave Jack a disbelieving look.

"Why are you saying good morning to the magpie's Jack?" Finn asked shuffling slightly on his seat.

"Because it's bad luck if you don't say good morning to them." Jack replied matter-of-factly.

"Is it?" Finn gasped, sudden fear rising up in him that he hadn't known this piece of information sooner.

"Did your Uncle or Mum never tell you to always say Good Morning to Mr. Magpie?" Jack had a look of shock on his face now as Finn shook his head slowly giving Ianto a contemptuous look like it was his Uncle's fault he was now going to have bad luck for the rest of his life.

"Quick there's another one!" Jack said pointing out the window as a second magpie joined the first one in the tree.

"Good Morning Mr. Magpie, how are you today?" Finn and Jack chorused as Ianto rolled his eyes again. Jack saluted for extra effect which made Finn giggle louder.

They spent the rest of the train journey wildlife spotting and trying to pronounce the names of the railway stations. Ianto found it hilarious when Jack tried to pronounce Aberffwrd.

"Don't pronounce the f's like constants, pronounce them like vowels." Ianto insisted as Jack tried again.

"If they're supposed to be pronounced like vowels then why don't they just make them vowels." Jack sulked after several more attempts which just made Ianto laugh harder.

By the time they'd rounded the corner in the Rheidol Falls the hills rolling into the distance the sun was shining through a gap in the clouds and Ianto could see the sign that required a lick of paint as they pulled into the station that announced it as being Devil's Bridge (Pontarfynach). Ianto glanced at Jack to see if he was going to attempt to pronounce it but Jack was pointedly ignoring him as the ticket driver opened the carriage door letting the smell of wet grass and tarmac wash over them.


	7. Chapter 7

This chap is a bit shorter than the others but I thought it was an appropriate place to stop!

* * *

Finn didn't miss the chance to splash in every puddle on the way down the road towards the entrance of the Mynach Falls.

"Finn will you please stop that you're soaking me." Ianto sighed as he tugged his nephew away from the next puddle on the side of the road. Somehow Finn still managed to splash through it, splattering Ianto's wet jeans with mud.

"Finlay!" Ianto barked, giving another tug on the young boy's hand.

"Sorry Uncle Ianto." Finlay sung, not a trace of being anything but sorry as Jack grasped at Finlay's free hand. Finn took this as encouragement to try out his acrobatic skills.

Finn squealed as he jumped from the pavement to cross the road, swinging between Ianto and Jack's hands happily.

"Again!" He enthused as they let him down once they had caught on to the game. Jack and Ianto exchanged amused glances.

"Ready?" Jack asked. "On three?"

Finn nodded wildly as they continued to tramp down the road.

"Three." Jack pulled Finn up into the air, Ianto mimicking on the other side, swinging Finn back and forth through the air so he squealed in delight again as other walkers without children smiled as they passed.

They paused when they reached the bridge.

"That's a long way down." Finn commented as he peered through the bars in the bridge, Ianto and Jack peering over the top at the waterfalls of the Devil's Punchbowl.

"Why's it called Devil's Bridge?" Finn asked suddenly, reluctantly looking away from the mesmerizing ebb and flow of the water below to glance between Jack and Ianto. Jack frowned for a moment, no clue about anything to do with the waterfall before Ianto, as usual, was ploughing into an explanation.

"Well," Ianto started, taking Finn's hand and leading him towards the turnstiles over the other side of bridge.

"A long time ago,"

"Is this like a fairy story?" Finn asked excitedly as they paused to let a lorry full of logs pass them on the bridge.

"Sort of." Ianto replied. "It's called a myth."

"Is that a fairy story?" Finn asked again.

"It's like a fairy story only a long time ago people thought myth's were real." Ianto tried to explain as Jack dug through his pockets looking for change to pay for the entrance fee into the falls. Finn nodded, encouraging Ianto to continue.

"Well a long time ago there was a woman who lost her cow on one side of the river. She was very sad about this so as she was trying to figure out a way to get her cow back the devil appeared to her," Ianto explained as Jack handed over the money to the woman behind the counter.

"Sounds like you don't need a guide book." She joked, giving Jack the change and a map.

"No," Jack smiled. "Got my own personal walking tourist information centre." Jack replied as Ianto shot him a filthy look from the other side of the turnstiles before continuing his story.

"So when the devil appeared to the old woman he said that he would build her a bridge so she could get her cow back on one condition. That he could keep the soul of the first being that crossed the bridge."

"What's a soul?" Finn asked innocently as he made his way carefully down the first flight of stairs, holding onto Ianto's hand.

"Its like the part of the person that lives on after death." Ianto tried to explain. "Like a ghost."

"But ghosts are scary." Finn looked up at Ianto slightly wide-eyed.

"Well they're not all like ghosts, it's sort of the essence of a person." Ianto tried again.

"What's an essence?" Finn asked again as he tried to splash through another puddle.

"People in olden days thought that souls were who people really were." Jack supplied when Ianto struggled to answer for a second time. This seemed to satisfy the four year old enough to let Ianto continue with his story as they stopped so they could see all three bridges one on top of the other.

"So the woman thought about this and finally agreed to the devil's condition. So the devil built the bridge, which is the one on the bottom." Ianto said, pointing at the bottom of the three bridges.

"And so the woman didn't lose her own soul she threw a stale piece of bread across the bridge which her dog chased after so the devil got to keep the dog's soul and the woman got her cow back." Ianto finished.

"Awww the poor doggie." Finn pouted, frowning before turning away from the bridge and heading back down the trail towards the waterfalls. Ianto rolled his eyes before he followed on after Finn, smiling to himself as he grasped Jack's hand in his own.

Jack frowned before looking down at their entwined hands with an almost disbelieving look on his face, families and elderly couples passing them by for the information point without a second glance. For the second time in as many days Jack had a glimpse into the real world and found that he liked it just as much as he had the first time he had peeked.

* * *

They were finishing their lunch in an awning halfway down to the bottom of the waterfalls when Jack pulled a rather aged looking camera out of his rucksack.

"Where did you get that from?" Ianto asked dubiously as he tied off the bag that contained the remainder of the cheese sandwiches that Jack had made that morning, fishing around in his bag for wet wipes.

"Found it down in the archives." Jack replied absentmindedly fiddling with the shutter trying to figure out just how it worked.

"Eh, maybe we shouldn't be using it then Jack." Ianto tried to take a step towards Jack who was now aiming the camera at Ianto.

"Smile." Jack chorused before he pressed the button on the top and prepared for the worst. Nothing happened and Ianto sighed, relieved.

"Oh hang on I've still got the lens cap on." Jack pulled the cap off and then with a flourish took a picture of a rather startled Ianto.

"Oh that's going up on the staff notice board." Jack chuckled to himself as Ianto scowled in return, wiping at Finn's sticky fingers with a little more vigour than was necessary.

"Can I try?" Finn asked, pulling away from Ianto, grabbing at the camera with sticky fingers.

"In a minute kid, you get cleaned up while I see if I can remember how to work it." Jack beamed, revelling in the moment as he turned the camera over several times. There only seemed to be the one button, and the socket for the flash was gummed up with something black and sticky. It didn't really matter anyway, Jack had been unable to find the flash on his search of the archives, not wanting to disturb Ianto's filing system more than was necessary. He fiddled with the zoom a couple more times and tried to clean the lens with the end of Ianto's t-shirt before he sat down next to Finn on the bench to try and explain how the camera worked.

Ianto moved a little away from them, listening to the chatter and the giggling as he watched the water plummeting down over rocks through the trees. He could see a family of three over the other side of the river at another platform, a little girl sat on her dad's shoulders as they watched the river gushing by. Ianto saw the mother pointing at some trees beside them and followed her line of gaze, but whatever was fascinating the family was out of Ianto's line of vision.

He heard the camera lens snap a couple of times, sure that Jack was taking gratuitous pictures of his arse. He glanced over his shoulder to check and found Finn with the camera strap round his neck trying to hold the camera up high enough to snap a picture. He managed what were no doubt a couple of blurry pictures of the bench in front of him before he waved vaguely at Ianto.

"Picture!" Finn waved again, pushing Jack on the arm to encourage him.

"You want a picture of us?" Jack asked, looking down at the four year old.

"Yeah. Then one of me and Uncy Yan, and one of me and you." Finn beamed at the idea.

"Daddy always used to take pictures of me and Mummy when we went places. Everyone needs to get a picture then we can put them in the photy album that Uncy Yan has on his bookshelf." Finn explained, pushing Jack away from the bench with the heel of his wellie now.

Jack smiled as he moved over to stand beside Ianto, pulling the younger man closer to him with a strong arm round his waist. Ianto smiled a little hesitantly at first before his arm slipped round Jack's back to rest on the railings they were leaning against.

"Say cheese!" Finn yelled loud enough to frighten the birds in the nearest tree. The camera wobbled slightly as Finn pressed the button to take the picture. The shutter clicked and Ianto knew the photograph would be lopsided, blurry and probably cut off half of their heads, but it didn't matter. It captured the moment, the here and now of the situation; slightly off kilter and not entirely focused. It was perfect.


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks again for all the reviews! Also yes I am mean with the camera! Sorry to freak some of you out! :P

* * *

It wasn't until they got to the Jacob's ladder that they had problems. Ianto glimpsed the sign that warned of very steep steps but it wasn't until he rounded the corner and saw them for himself that he realised the full extent of how steep they actually were.

"Well that's steeper than I expected." Jack commented as he peered round Ianto who still had a hold of Finn's hand.

"It's high." Finn commented, gripping Ianto's hand.

"You ok to go down?" Ianto asked Finn, having doubtful thoughts himself about the unevenness of the steps.

"Yup." Finn nodded bravely, standing a bit taller and gripping Ianto's hand that bit tighter before he started down the steps on wobbly feet. Ianto followed, stooping slightly to keep a hold of Finn's hand.

"What about me? I might need to hold someone's hand." Jack called from the top of the steps.

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Your big enough and ugly enough to take care of yourself."

Ianto heard Jack huff. "Charming."

"You going to count them all?" Ianto teased when Finn paused on the third step, a scared look on his face. Ianto could feel his own knees trembling as Finn shook his head wildly from side to side.

"Not scared are you?" Ianto questioned Finn after a long moment in which neither of them moved. Finn shook his head again.

"No." He answered defiantly. Ianto waited again, moving down another couple of steps to encourage Finn but he just squeezed Ianto's hand tighter, making a whimpering noise in the back of his throat.

"What's the hold up down there?" Jack called from the top of the steps, trying to put the camera back in his rucksack.

"You feel safer on my shoulders?" Ianto whispered in Finn's ear so Jack couldn't hear. Finn looked back up at Jack who was smiling down at them, a look of curiosity on his face. Finn turned back to Ianto before nodding reluctantly which caused Ianto to smile.

"Come on then." Ianto said, hoisting Finn up by the arms and swinging him up onto his shoulders.

"Hold on tight." Ianto instructed as he reached out a hand for the wobbly handrail and stopped abruptly.

"Not that tight Finn!" Ianto yelped as Finn released his hold on Ianto's hair slightly. Ianto reached up and guided the toddler's hands so he was gripping onto Ianto's jacket instead of pulling his hair out in clumps or strangling him. He heard Jack chuckling behind him as he grasped Finn's left leg in one hand and griped the railing again with the other.

By the time they reached the bottom of all 100 steps Ianto's knees were trembling and he was a little breathless. Finn clamoured to get down by tugging on Ianto's hair again which he had kept grabbing for every time Ianto had hesitated slightly or jerked or went a little too fast.

Ianto pulled Finn down and placed him on the first step of the small iron bridge as Jack bounded down the last few steps behind them before letting out a cackle of laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Ianto turned to glare at Jack as he tried to fish a water bottle out his own rucksack.

"Either you put too much gel on this morning." Jack replied as he crossed to Ianto, reaching up to fix Ianto's hair that was sticking out at all angles, making him look like he'd just got out of bed.

"Or someone's still got Jaffa Cake on their fingers from lunch." Jack looked sideways at Finlay who was watching from the edge of the bridge, giggling as he watched Jack trying to flatten Ianto's hair back down.

"Oh Finn!" Ianto moaned, his own hands going into his hair to try and flatten it down as Jack continued to try and help.

"You're just making it worse." Jack reprimanded, swatting Ianto's hands away before grasping Ianto's bottle of water in one hand and emptying some of it onto Ianto's hair. Ianto tried to duck out the way but was too late, instead knocking the bottle so it emptied itself over his head, water running down the back of his neck onto his dry t-shirt.

"Jack!" Ianto gasped at the cold temperature of the water.

"Sorry." Jack's hand went to his mouth to try and stifle a fit of the giggles that was threatening to break free as Ianto leant forward and started shaking his head like a dog.

"Hey!" Jack protested, moving further away from Ianto so he didn't get wet as well. "I've only just dried off from this morning's torrential weather."

Ianto was reaching blindly for Jack's t-shirt now, trying to wipe his face on the front of it.

"Get off!" Jack pushed at Ianto's shoulder as Ianto started laughing, chasing Jack round the small area at the bottom of Jacob's ladder trying to dry himself off on Jack.

Ianto finally caught Jack round the waist with his arms, rubbing the top of his head against Jack's belly, their giggles petering out into breathless laughter as Jack grasped at Ianto's arms, pulling him into an upright position. Jack's hands reached up and flattened Ianto's hair to one side, shoving wet locks off his forehead.

"You two are silly." Finn announced as he rolled his eyes in a scarily accurate resemblance of Ianto, crossing his arms as if he was trying to prove that he was the adult in this situation.

"At least your hair looks better." Jack shrugged as he let out another chuckle.

"No thanks to you!" Ianto stuck his tongue out at Jack as he stooped to pick up the empty water bottle Jack had dropped before following the audacious four year old across the arched bridge that passed over the bottom of the waterfalls.

The walk back up from the waterfalls was just as treacherous but Finn giggled and screamed every time he slid that bit further down in his Thomas the Tank Engine wellies.

"Come on Jack!" Ianto called over his shoulder as he and Finn were scrambling up some rocks to the next set of stairs, taking the difficult route instead of the easy one; the little boys adventurous streak in them both taking hold.

Jack rolled his eyes as he watched Ianto and Finn clambering up the wet rocks, Ianto lifting Finn up over the edge of some when he wasn't tall enough to reach. Jack didn't understand why he was so knackered climbing back up the other side. Ianto must have slipped bricks into his rucksack and shoes when he wasn't looking.

When Jack eventually reached the next stopping place Ianto was leaning on the handrail looking down at him as Finn tried to inspect round the corner.

"What's the matter Jack? Not getting enough exercise?" Ianto asked cheekily. He had a healthy glow in his cheeks but unlike Jack wasn't panting for air.

"Not my fault there's been a depletion in Weevil sightings and therefore a lack of hunting to be had." Jack answered as he watched Finn busy searching through the nearby bushes.

"Well I can always think of other ways to keep you fit." Ianto winked as he clasped his hands over the railing.

"Not in front of the children!" Jack reprimanded as he rested against the railings beside Ianto trying to catch his breath. Ianto chuckled turning to look at Finn who had moved onto the flowers further up the path.

"Finn?" Ianto frowned, watching the four year old quietly as he gently lifted up the leaves of a fern.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for faeries." Finn answered matter-of-factly, not bothering to look up at his Uncle. "David Peterson said that they live under flowers."

Jack and Ianto exchanged glances.

"Lets keep going." Ianto suggested, moving towards Finn and coaxing him out of the undergrowth.

"Good idea." Jack agreed, heading off ahead of Finn and Ianto.

"But what about the faeries?" Finn moaned as Ianto grasped one of Finn's hand in his own, pulling him up the next flight of stairs.

"I think the faeries will find us if they want to." Ianto said looking nervously around.

Half way up the next section Jack got a fit of the giggles when Finn slipped and Ianto, in a vain attempt to hold onto the adventurous four year old, skidded behind him falling rather unceremoniously on his arse. Ianto on the other hand spent the rest of the day moaning about his wet underwear.

"Maybe we should have brought you a change of clothes too?" Jack teased as Ianto pulled a clean pair of trousers onto the protesting toddler in the public toilets.

When they got back to the station Jack took Finn to get an ice-cream while Ianto rifled through his rucksack for the tickets. He ended up pulling out Finlay's muddy clothes and the days findings which included several brightly coloured autumn leaves, and thankfully no faeries.

Ianto cursed as he dropped the remainder of lunch in a muddy puddle. Before he had a chance to retrieve it someone was handing him the half eaten sandwiches and orange peelings in their zippy bag. Ianto thanked her.

"They're a handful at that age." The woman said, gesturing to where Finn was jiggling up and down, trying to see over the ice-cream counter.

Ianto retrieved the tickets and started to stuff things back into the rucksack.

"Tell me about it." Ianto replied with a sly smile. "Almost had several broken limbs today, and not just on his part."

The woman smiled indulgently.

"My son and his partner are trying to adopt at the moment, did you find it hard?"

Ianto looked taken back for a moment.

"I'm sorry, have I misread the situation?" The woman looked flustered.

"He's my sister's, we've just taken him off her hands for a couple of days. And I don't think I'm ready for another kid." Ianto smiled, looking at Jack.

An awkward silence fell between them as Jack sauntered back over with Finn. Both of them had ice-cream round their mouths. Ianto couldn't help but smile as Jack gave him his '99.

"You know I can remember when a '99 actually cost 99p." Jack mused as he licked the ice-cream off his lips.

"That's 'cause you're old." Ianto teased, leaning in to kiss the ice-cream from Jack's lips.

"Thanks for the reminder." Jack mumbled into Ianto's lips. Jack tried to deepen the kiss, but Ianto was pulling away, his eyes on Finn who was staring up at them with wide eyes, licking absentmindedly at his ice-cream.

"Careful Finn!" Ianto was leaning down now, trying to stop Finlay's ice-cream taking a nose dive into the mud, and subsequently losing his own in the muddy puddle. Finn giggled before holding his own cone out to Ianto.

"You can have a lick of mine."


	9. Chapter 9

Don't worry Vera Steine there will be more of Jack's thoughts in the next few chapters! This chapter however is ALL about Finn - and not necessarily in a good way! ;)

* * *

"Shall we have a look in the shop before the train comes?" Ianto asked. Finn was already ambling back across the chuckies to the small shop and café before he had even finished his sentence. Ianto knew that the toddler had glimpsed the Thomas the Tank Engine toys when he had gone in there earlier with Jack.

"Can I get a Thomas Uncy Yan?" Finn asked as he stood in front of the wall of Thomas the Tank Engine memorabilia. Ianto was loathe to say no but he dreaded to think what his sister might say if they returned with yet another toy train. He didn't think 'But he's always had that one.' would wash with the tenacious Rhiannon. Thankfully Jack came riding to the rescue.

"How about you pick out your favourite one and I'll buy it for you as a present?" Jack asked as he bent down beside Finn, a hand reaching out to the nearest package which happened to contain The Fat Controller. Jack was less likely to get yelled at by Ria.

Ianto left Finn and Jack choosing toys and nosed round the rest of the small shop, reading the tea towels pinned to the wall, bypassing the stuffed welsh dragons and sheep and stopping when he reached the postcard stand.

"I want that one." Finn said, presenting Jack with James, the red engine, presumably in remembrance of today's adventure on James the look-a-like. Jack smiled, taking the package from Finn.

"You sure?" Jack checked and Finn nodded vigorously as he looked over at Ianto. Ianto was engrossed in the postcard stand though and Jack saw Ianto's face light up with childish glee as he caught sight of the Ivor the Engine postcards.

"Shall we send one of these to Mummy?" Ianto asked, plucking the nearest one from the holder and tilting it down so Finn could see it.

"It's not Thomas though." Finn pouted.

"They don't have any Thomas one's Finn, but Mummy and me used to watch Ivor the Engine when we were children like you watch Thomas, so I'm sure she'd appreciate it just as much." Ianto tried to reason with his four year old nephew.

"Want Thomas." Finn stomped his right foot on the ground as if to make his point. Jack tried to give the woman behind the counter a reassuring smile as he attempted to pay for James but she was apparently just as aware as Jack that this was going to turn sour quickly.

"They don't have Thomas' Finn, now do you want to send this one to Mummy or another one?" Ianto tried to ask as calmly as possible but he could feel his own temper rising.

"Want Thomas!" Finlay proclaimed louder.

"Jack's buying you James, Finlay. You can't have everything." Ianto replied, plucking an Ivor the Engine postcard from the stand and going to pay for it before the first vestiges of a tantrum seeped out into the small shop.

When he turned back though he could see tears welling in Finlay's eyes.

_Shit._

Ianto hated it when Finlay threw temper tantrums. He could still remember the first one he had thrown in Ianto's presence. Ianto had come home from London for the weekend with Lisa. They had offered to take Finlay to the park for the afternoon, thinking they could feed the ducks and do childish things like playing on the swings under the pretence of looking after a child. That had been Ianto's first mistake. Finlay had not taken kindly to Lisa for some reason and when they went to play on the swings Finn had thrown a strop when he didn't get to sit on 'his' swing because another child was on it.

Ianto had just stood there, watching the small child screaming at the top of his lungs and crying at the unfairness of it all. He'd then observed as Finlay threw himself to the ground and proceeded to batter the playground asphalt for all he was worth. When he finally snapped out of his daze he'd tried to comfort Finn, tried to reason with the child on Finlay's swing and got nothing but child's potty talk for it. Worst of all when he got home Ria had laughed at him and Lisa had declared that they were never having kids. Ever.

Ianto had soon learned his lesson though. He now paid for the postcard, putting it in his rucksack as he felt Finn gearing up for the temper tantrum of a lifetime. He thanked the woman behind the counter, crossed the shop to Finn, took him by the hand and led him, protesting, out of the shop. Once outside he bent down so he was at eye level with Finlay.

"Now are you going to stop being silly and help me write the postcard to Mummy?" Ianto asked calmly as Finn continued to sob. He shook his head wildly from side to side, a grumpy look on his face. Ianto sighed as he stood back up again. As Ianto tried to walk away, his hand still holding Finn's, the child resisted, digging his heels in and pulling Ianto back towards the shop, screaming louder than before. Ianto didn't say anything, just turned and plucked Finlay up into his arms, ignoring the kicking and screaming and crossed the car park to a picnic bench. He placed Finn down on the seat where he continued to scream before unceremoniously sitting down on the floor under the bench where Ianto continued to ignore him, plucking the postcard from his rucksack and getting out a pen so he could write to Ria.

"Dear Ria." Ianto said out loud as he wrote, watching Jack emerging from the shop cautiously. Ianto saw him tucking James into his rucksack out of sight and was grateful for such small mercies.

"Where's James?" Finn demanded when Jack arrived, sitting down opposite Ianto.

"You can have him when you've calmed down." Ianto replied coolly if a little bit tersely, looking across at Jack and indicating with his eyes that he was not to talk to Finn until he had calmed down. This however set Finn off again, kicking at Ianto's shins and screaming for all he was worth. Ianto noticed Jack smiling hesitantly at passers-by as they looked their way while Ianto continued to look intently at the postcard.

"Now what shall we write about?" Ianto asked no one in particular.

"Weather unpredictable." Ianto started.

"You're telling your sister about the weather? What are you? A middle aged woman on a caravan holiday?" Jack blinked at Ianto as Finn quietened slightly.

"Tell Mummy about James." Came a shy voice from under the table, hiccupping sobs between words.

"What shall I tell her about James?" Ianto asked in return, not peering under the table, but very grateful when Finn emerged red eyed and slightly hesitant.

"Tell her that we went on James and saw lots of plants and aminals."

"Animals." Ianto corrected as Finn climbed onto the seat beside Ianto, still looking guilty.

"And we took lots of pictures for her to see." Finn continued, finally looking Ianto in the eye.

"Are you finished being silly?" Ianto questioned the toddler who nodded sadly in reply.

"You shouldn't have done that should you?"

Ianto watched as Finn shook his head, looking down at his hands in his lap.

"You shouldn't have shouted and cried. And you shouldn't have kicked me should you?"

"No." Finn answered in an extremely sad voice.

"Can I get an apology then?" Ianto asked, his words feeling familiar after hearing them so often coming from Ria's lips.

"Sorry Uncy Yan." Finn replied mechanically.

"Thank you, now can I get a hug?" Ianto asked opening his arms invitingly. Finn didn't hesitate, moving into Ianto's arms and hugging his chest tightly as Ianto kissed his forehead.

"Now," Ianto pulled away, but still had a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Do you want to write the postcard or shall I? And then you can sign your name at the bottom?"

* * *

Ianto tried to muffle a yawn while he gazed blearily out the train window as they rounded another corner in the tracks, continually passing so close to the edge of the cliff Ianto was sure they would tip off any moment.

"I'm not carrying both of you back to the flat." Jack reprimanded, pushing lightly on Ianto's calf, a hint to stay awake. Ianto smiled back looking down at Finlay who was currently nestled into Ianto's side, mouth hanging open in exhaustion.

"Oh I don't know I think you could use the training after the way you struggled round the walk today. I think you moaned more than this one."

"I did not!" Jack looked indignant. Ianto quirked his eyebrow in reply.

"Okay, I moaned a bit." Jack admitted. He caught the woman over Ianto's shoulder trying to hide a smile at their conversation. Jack flashed her a disarming grin which she returned hesitantly as Ianto rolled his eyes before looking back out the window.

"Too much excitement for one day?" The ticket man asked as Ianto stepped off the train with Finlay in his arms, his head resting in the crook of Ianto's neck. Ianto smiled in return as he hoisted Finlay closer to his chest.

"Too much walking for one day." Ianto replied.

"The little one made it all the way round that walk?" The man asked as Jack emerged behind Ianto, hefting both their rucksacks on his shoulders. Ianto nodded.

"Quite the little trooper." The man commented, smiling and resisting the urge to ruffle Finlay's hair.

"He wasn't the one who was the problem." Ianto answered slyly as he started walking away, leaving a chucking train conductor behind him and a bemused Jack.

Ianto hefted Finn in his aching arms as they wandered back up the hill towards the beach. He could feel where the sun have burnt the back of his neck and his cheeks as he started scuffing his feet on the pavement.

"Want to swap?" Jack asked from just behind Ianto's shoulder. Ianto hefted the toddler again, willing him to wake up so he could walk down the promenade back to the apartment, but Finlay was dead to the world.

"No, I don't want to wake him." Ianto answered as the wind coming in from the sea assaulted him.

As was the way, Finlay woke up when they reached the front doorstep, stretching and yawning in Ianto's arms before grappling to get down. Ianto obliged before collapsing onto the sofa in a heap, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Can we look for Dolphins now?" Finn asked excitedly, crossing to the window and climbing up onto the window seat before trying to look through the wrong end of the binoculars perched there.

Ianto groaned as he sunk further into the couch, closing his eyes to the world and hoping that if he somehow ignored Finn he would entertain himself.

"Give us a minute kid." Jack's voice came from the kitchen.

"Why don't you go play with James for a bit and then once me and your Uncle are changed we'll dolphin watch." Jack added.

Ianto heard the scurry of Finlay disappearing out the living room and down the hall to his room before Jack was slumping on the couch beside Ianto as well.

"Is it our naptime now?" Jack teased. Ianto's head was already slipping sideways onto Jack's shoulder though as Jack let out a chuckle.


	10. Chapter 10

I'm glad you were all impressed by how Ianto handled Finn's temper tantrum but remember - Ianto knows everything! ;)

* * *

"Hello?" Jack answered cheerily, not bothering to look at the caller ID as he watched Ianto crawling around on the living room floor with Finn on his back.

"Jack?"

"Gwen?" Jack's back suddenly straightened. "Everything alright? Nothing's happened has it?"

"No." He heard Gwen laugh slightly. "Everything's fine, been quite quiet actually except when Owen accidentally let the rats out the cages yesterday afternoon and they chewed through some of the computer cables."

Jack let out a bark of laughter, both at Gwen's story and the fact that the tunnel had caved in on both the train and engine driver being too low for both of them to get through.

"Tosh isn't speaking to Owen but I don't think Owen's even noticed." Gwen continued. "I was just phoning to see how your holiday was going?"

Jack let out another laugh as Finn the Engine driver tried to rescue his Ianto train from underneath the rubble of the cushion tunnel.

"Quite well from the sounds of it?" Gwen chuckled.

"A few minor mishaps, mostly on Ianto's part, but we've had fun. We're going to the beach tomorrow hopefully, just across the road from us. We were dolphin watching earlier on tonight." Jack enthused down the phone.

"How is Ianto?" Gwen's voice was dripping with concern.

"I would let you speak to him," Jack replied, trying to stop himself from giggling as Finn continued to try and dig Ianto out from under the cushions, tugging fruitlessly on Ianto's right arm. "But he's slightly indisposed at the moment. There was an accident on the train line and the tunnel collapsed." Jack laughed outright as Finn started pushing Ianto, trying to roll him over onto his back to check he wasn't actually dead.

"What?" Came Gwen's cry of slight hysteria down the phone.

"Gwen don't worry, Ianto's the train. I think he's an expired train though." Jack smiled again as Finn started tickling Ianto. He watched as the young Welshmen tried valiantly not to react to the chubby fingers attacking his armpits and ribs. It was a losing battle though.

"Oh no, he's alive again now. Tickling revived him."

"Jack are you making this up or has Ianto had a personality transplant while you've been away? Are you sure he didn't bang his head harder than we thought?" Gwen's voice was still full of concern.

"No, he's still Ianto." Jack smiled down the phone as Finn screamed, Ianto getting his vengeance as Finn tried to hide under the mound of sofa cushions that had once been a train tunnel. He worried though when Ianto stopped and whispered something in Finn's ear, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Anyway Gwen I'm going to go before I get attacked by two monsters." Jack said standing up from where he was perched on the armchair, watching warily as Finn and Ianto started crawling towards him. "Not literal monsters." He added as an afterthought.

"Ok Jack. We'll see you on Monday then?" Gwen sounded dubious.

"No! Stop it!" Jack all but squeaked as he leapt away from Ianto who was trying to tickle him only to be attacked by Finn grabbing at the back of his knees.

"Yup. Monday evening. Bye Gwen!" Jack said a little breathlessly. The last thing Gwen heard was a cry of, 'You are so dead Ianto Jones.' before the line went dead.

"They having a good holiday?" Tosh asked from where she was sat under her desk, masking tape in one hand and screwdriver in the other.

"I think something's possessed them." Gwen replied after a moment, putting her phone down on her desk hesitantly. Tosh looked at her quizzically.

"They were acting, odd. I think Ianto was pretending to be a train, and then pretending to be a monster, and then tickling Jack. The last thing I heard was Jack squealing, at least I think it was Jack, I've never heard him squeal before." Gwen looked slightly wide eyed at her phone before giving Toshiko a bemused look.

Tosh laughed in reply. "That's what happens when you take care of children, you regress back to a child yourself."

"Yeah, but he squealed."

* * *

Ianto heard the heavy tread of Jack's bare feet padding across the living room to where Ianto was sat in the window seat staring out to sea. He had the window open, and he let out a shiver as the sea breeze whipped round him.

"What are you still doing up? You were knackered earlier." Jack asked softly, a hand going to Ianto's shoulder.

Ianto shrugged, shivering slightly again. He felt Jack's hand disappear from his shoulder, footsteps retreating. Jack returned, placing his greatcoat round Ianto's shoulders. Ianto smiled up at him gratefully before looking back out to sea again, watching the stars twinkling on the horizon.

"What was it like out there?" Ianto asked quietly. "Travelling with him." Ianto added for clarification. Jack didn't need any though. He didn't reply for a moment, sinking down onto the window seat beside Ianto and playing with a thread on one of the sleeves of his coat.

"It was," Jack paused, he couldn't think of one word to describe what it was like to go travelling with the doctor. "Thrilling. Terrifying. Horrible. Heart-breaking. Amazing." Jack answered a little breathlessly.

"Would you go back?"

"He asked me to go travelling with him, but I asked to come home to you."

"That doesn't answer my question Jack."

"I wouldn't pass up the chance to go again." Jack answered truthfully, watching Ianto who was still staring out the window to sea. "But I wouldn't disappear on you this time."

Ianto didn't say anything, just pulled Jack's coat round him with one hand, hugging his knees with the other.

"Travelling with the Doctor has it's moments and the running, I miss the running." Jack smiled. "But things happened to me while I was away that have just put things into prospective, made me prioritise."

"What things?" Ianto was looking at Jack now, his gaze piercing in it's intensity. Jack looked away.

"That's the thing Jack you know me so well now and yet I know hardly anything about you. You know all the horrible things I've lived through. You know my family, how I got that scar on my arm, how Lisa and I met. I feel sometimes that I don't know anything about you. I don't even know your real name." Ianto argued.

"In my defence you're only 24, whereas I'm bordering on 150 and technically I'm not even born yet." Jack tried to lighten the situation.

"I don't even know whether to take you seriously or not sometimes." Ianto sighed.

"Everything I tell you is the truth Ianto. I just," Jack crinkled his nose, frowning like he was trying to hold back tears. "I'm not used to sharing with someone, I'm just so used to being alone that I think I've forgotten how not to be."

"But you've had Elizabeth, Estelle, Alex, Michael, The Doctor, Rose, Martha, countless others I don't know anything about." Ianto looked confused.

"You know that old saying of being surrounded by people yet feeling totally alone." Jack shrugged slightly. "I guess like you I'm missing a few key words from my dictionary." Jack tried to smile but couldn't quite bring himself to mean it. Ianto managed a sad smile in return as they both turned to look back out to sea, getting lost somewhere beyond the horizon.

"Is there a reason we've been having all these serious conversations?" Jack asked after a long moment.

"I guess the fact that I've just had time to think about things without the next alien invasion getting in the way." Ianto shrugged before yawning. "That and I think there's only so many conversations in one day that I can have about children's Thomas the Tank Engine."

Ianto smiled reassuringly, but it quickly descended in a yawn as he pulled himself to his feet, pulling Jack's coat from round his shoulders.

"I'm going to bed, you coming?" Ianto asked as he hung Jack's coat on the hook at the back of the door.

"Yeah, in a minute." Jack replied, not turning to look at Ianto. He felt Ianto's hand on his shoulder and a kiss in his hair before Ianto's even footfalls disappeared down the corridor.

Jack let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as he continued to watch the horizon, so dark now the sky and sea blended into each other in a black vastness that still scared him. It was like looking into the depths of space, a step into the unknown. It was like that horrible jolting feeling when you missed the last rung of a ladder, but sometimes it was that horrible jolting feeling that Jack lived for. Jack suddenly realised even though he would follow the Doctor to the end of the universe he would always come back again. Walk a mile in a man's shoes before you truly know him. The problem was Ianto was now like a pair of old slippers; so comfy you couldn't bear to part with them, and that frightened Jack.

He thought of another cliché as he slipped underneath the duvet next to Ianto, kissing him on the back of the neck. They say the grass is always greener on the other side, but it looked pretty rosy on this side of the fence from where Jack was sitting.

* * *

Ianto was woken in the middle of the night by a persistent tug on the fingers of his left hand. He tried to swat it away at first, thinking it was just Jack being annoying, but soon a scared voice came out of the darkness.

"Uncy Yan?" Finn was tugging at his hand again, more persistent now. Ianto blinked blearily in the half-light finding the four year old staring at him with tears in his eyes.

"Finn?" Ianto rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, sitting up in bed as Jack shifted towards him, "What is it?"

"There's a monster under my bed." Finn whispered as if it was some conspiracy.

"There's a what? What kind of monster?" Jack was suddenly awake beside Ianto now, hair sticking out at odd angles a wild look on his face as he made to grab for his gun. Ianto put a hand on his arm to stop him, giving him a pointed look.

"It's tummy's all grumbly. I think it wants to eat me!" Finn sniffed, sticking his thumb in his mouth.

"Ah, the grumbly tummy monster. Jack and me fight them all the time, don't we Jack?" Ianto turned to look at Jack as recognition that this was a child's imagination and not some Torchwood dilemma dawned on his face.

Jack nodded in earnest. "All the time."

Ianto was pulling himself out from under the covers now, taking Finn's hand and leading him back into the other room.

"Did you know that grumbly tummy monsters prefer Jaffa cakes to little boys?" Ianto was questioning as Jack smiled to himself, lying back down in the bed. There was a gasp of realisation from Finn.

"We've still got-ed some from lunch!" Finn said excitedly. Jack heard the rustling of Ianto in his rucksack and the mumbled comfort he gave his nephew as Jack rolled over onto Ianto's side of the bed; he could still smell Ianto on the pillows as his eyes drifted closed. Taking care of children was harder work than chasing weevils.

When Jack awoke some hours later he was still alone in the double bed, the smell of Ianto still lingering on the sheets. He stifled a yawn as he clawed his way out from under the sheets to investigate where Ianto had gotten to. What he found made his heart swell.

Ianto was asleep in Finn's bed, his arm curled around Finn protectively as one of Finn's hands clung onto Ianto's larger one while the other hand clutched at a rather moth eaten looking rabbit. They both looked the picture of innocence as they slept serenely. He could just make out the shape of a Jaffa cake on a plate at the foot of the bed beside Finn's slippers. Jack smiled to himself before he stepped lightly into the room, crossing to the Jaffa cake and taking a rather sizable bite out of it.

In the morning, he was woken by an excitable four-year old, jumping up and down on the bed, waving the half eaten Jaffa cake with sticky fingers in Jack's face.

"Jack! LOOK! The grumbly tummy monster eat-ed it!"

"So I see." Jack said smiling as Ianto emerged back into their room, rubbing at his eyes as he shook his head. Jack's stomach chose that moment to make itself known causing Ianto to laugh.

"I think we've got a grumbly tummy monster in our bed Finn!"

There was another gasp of excitement from Finn before he was shoving the sticky jaffa cake into Jack's hands. "Quick Jack! Before it eats you!"

* * *

Jack disappeared into the shower to try and remove the remains of Jaffa Cake from his face and hair while Ianto made breakfast and Finn ambitiously tried to mimic Andy Warhol on the living room floor.

"If you and Jack got-ed married does that mean that I get two Uncles?" Finn asked abruptly.

"Uh," Ianto flailed for an answer as his nephew looked up at him innocently. "I don't think me and Jack will be getting married Finn."

"Why? Do you not love each other?" Finn pressed, obviously not noticing Ianto's discomfort, or relishing in it like the devil spawn child Ianto secretly believed him to be.

"We do, we just don't think we should get married." Ianto said finally while trying to extract himself from the living room without arousing suspicion. Finn wasn't finished his interrogation though.

"Penny Evans said that a man can't marry another man, 'cause they're not allowed." Finn stated matter-of-factly as he went back to colouring in. "Is that why you and Jack aren't getting married? 'Cause you're not allowed?"

"No," Ianto frowned, how to explain this to a four year old? "Men are allowed to marry other men."

"But Penny Evans said," Finn tried to interrupt, looking back up at Ianto.

"Well Penny Evans is wrong, because men are allowed to marry other men now, but me and Jack are quite happy just being me and Jack." Ianto tried to explain to his nephew, who – if the confused look on his face was anything to go by – blatantly wasn't understanding.

"So I can't ever call him Uncle Jack?" This seemed to be the crux of the situation and what was bothering Finn the most.

Ianto smirked. "You can if you want to Finn, I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Okay." A huge grin broke out of Finlay's face before he turned back to his colouring-in again, swinging his legs happily in the air as he rendered a sheep blue.

"I'm going to give this one to Uncle Jack." Finn mused to himself as Ianto tried to bite back his own grin.


	11. Chapter 11

This chapter is for my own indulgence (and in celebration of my 2.1)! Enjoy. :)

* * *

"Uncle Jack!" Looky what I drew!" Finn bounded up to Jack as soon as he entered the living area.

"Uncle Jack?" Jack's eyebrow shot up into his hair line at the word used before his name like a prefix to family even though they were not related in any way.

"Uncy Yan said I could call you Uncle Jack." Finn looked imploringly over at Ianto, searching for reassurance.

"Did he now?" Jack asked as he too looked over at Ianto who was continuing to stare intently into the depths of the sink and the washing up there.

"Yup. He said that you won't get married but I could still call you Uncle Jack if I wanted to." Finn nodded, trying to thrust the blue sheep under Jack's nose again. But Jack was too busy watching Ianto's back, a glazed expression on his face.

Finn shook the paper slightly to try and attract Jack's attention which seemed to do the trick.

"Is this for me then?" Jack asked, plucking the paper from Finn's hands and regarding the blue sheep that was slightly smudged round the edges. Finn nodded enthusiastically, waiting patiently for the praise he craved.

"It's brilliant Finn." Jack encouraged, smiling down at Finn. "You know what?"

Finn's eyes widened expectantly, returning Jack's grin.

"This would go perfectly in my office behind my desk. Might even brighten up the place a bit." Jack smiled when he saw the look of happiness on Finn's face.

"Do you think if I did one for Uncy Yan he'd put it up in his office, 'cause he puts them all up on the fridge. Is his office wall bigger than the fridge?" Finn frowned, a thoughtful look on his face as Jack laughed.

"Why don't we both draw a picture for him to go on his wall?" Jack asked, moving towards the pile of felt tip pens and paper on the floor, Finn dumping himself down on the carpet before furiously trying to organise a space for Jack to do the same. Finn handed Jack a piece of paper before gathering up the pens and regarding them.

"I want the purple and the red one. So you can have the green and the blue." Finn handed the pens over to Jack before dropping the other one's close by as Ianto came over to investigate, a dishcloth in his hands.

"Uncy Yan!" Finn whined, covering the paper up in front of him with his whole body, even though pen had not actually touched paper yet. "You'll ruin the surprise." Finn rolled his eyes at Ianto.

"Sorry." Ianto mumbled, looking slightly taken aback before he turned to go back into the kitchen.

"Did you want some breakfast Jack?" Ianto called over his shoulder as he went.

"Just some coffee please."

* * *

Ianto was disturbed from his book sometime later, trying and failing to finish his sentence before a piece of paper with scribbled drawings was pushed under his nose. He could make out the shape of a red train engine in the background, three stick figures holding hands on the purple grass in front.

"That's me in the middle." Finn pointed a chubby finger at the shortest stick person that had tufts of fluorescent yellow hair sticking out at all angles.

"That one's Uncle Jack." Finn's finger jabbed at the stick figure on the left of the page, but Ianto didn't really need the clarification from Finn to tell it was Jack. The figure had a huge blue coat on billowing out behind him and jet black felt tip hair that was caught in the wind.

"And that one's you." Finn's voice had a finality to it as his finger strayed to the right hand side of stick-Finn, pointing out a taller stick figure that had brown hair stuck out at all angles and appeared to be sporting shorts and t-shirt with a very lurid purple and red tie.

"It's brilliant Finn." Ianto enthused, placing it on top of his now closed book. "Looks just like us. It'll take pride of place in my office."

Ianto leant down and kissed Finn on the forehead in thanks.

"Your welcome. Can we go to the beach now?" Finn asked, already speeding off down the corridor to his room to retrieve the bucket and spade set Ria had packed in the boot. Ianto just smiled and rolled his eyes in reply before he noticed Jack hovering in the middle of the room, looking down at the pile of paper and felt tip pens.

"And what did you draw me then?" Ianto teased.

Jack bent down hurriedly, gathering up the blank paper in a pile and putting it on the coffee table.

"Nothing." Jack mumbled as he started piling the felt tip pens back into the biscuit box that housed them. Ianto frowned as he placed his book and picture Finn had done for him down on the window seat before crossing to the coffee table and grabbing the pile of paper before Jack had a chance to react. In the middle of the bundle of blank paper he found a blue and green felt tip encrusted piece that was a surprisingly accurate resemblance of Ianto, sat on the window seat reading his book.

"You never said you could draw." Ianto gasped in disbelief, struggling to tare his eyes away from the image of himself.

"I can't." Jack replied, fitting the lid back on the tin, refusing to look Ianto in the eye.

"Jack don't play the petulant child. This is really good." Ianto caught Jack's arm as he tried to pass by him to get to the bookcase.

"Thank you." Ianto whispered sincerely, leaning in to kiss Jack on the lips. Jack shrugged out of Ianto's hold as soon as he could, moving to put the box and paper away.

"Jack? Are you embarrassed?" Ianto prodded, putting the picture down in between the pages of his book along with Finn's drawing of the three of them.

"You're not keeping it are you?" Jack bemoaned as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"You are embarrassed." Ianto said, unable to disguise the note of triumph in his voice.

"Look Ianto, it's really not that good, so maybe we could just throw it out, yeah?" Jack looked as if he was going to move to snatch the book from Ianto's hand but he stayed where he was, rooted to the spot in the middle of the living area looking slightly lost.

"Jack, is this really about the drawing or is it about the fact Finn's now calling you Uncle Jack? Because if it bothers you so much, I can ask him to stop." Ianto asked, placing the book down on the coffee table now.

"No." Jack's head shot up to look Ianto in the eye. "No, it's not that, well it is but it isn't."

"Right," Ianto nodded, a frown on his features. "Well thanks for clearing that up."

Jack sighed rather over dramatically before he took his hands out his pockets and did a short circuit round the sofa before sitting down on the edge of it.

"It's just, all this," Jack's hands moved round the apartment, encompassing not just that but the whole situation he now found himself in. "The holiday, looking after a kid, being called Uncle Jack. You." Jack looked up at Ianto at that point, watching him for a long moment, waiting to see if he would say anything, but no words were forthcoming from the Welshman.

"It just reminds me that I can never really have all this." Jack said sadly.

Ianto actually laughed. It was a short sharp burst of laughter at first and as he tried to control it a fit of hysterical laughter burst forth from him. Jack could do nothing but stare incredulously at him until he regained control.

"Jack," Ianto said eventually, a little breathlessly. "You do have all this. Ok it may not be our kid, we may not do this every weekend but you have me pretty much all the time. Also I'm sure Ria would be grateful for you to baby-sit and be Uncle Jack anytime you want."

Jack blinked a couple of times, staring up at Ianto, watching as the young Welshman moved towards him pulling him to his feet.

"Come here." Ianto soothed, wrapping his arms round Jack and pulling him close, palms flat against Jack's shoulder before a hand moved up the base of Jack's neck, rubbing at the hair there in comforting motions.

"Sorry." Jack whispered into Ianto's neck as he finally slid his arms around Ianto in return, relaxing into his hold.

"You know for someone so old you can't half be stupid sometimes." Ianto replied, kissing Jack soothingly on the side of the head.

"I know. That's why I keep you close at hand." Jack replied with a chuckle. He pulled back slightly from Ianto so he could see into his eyes, smiling genuinely now.

"Thank you." Jack breathed before he was pressing his lips against Ianto's, hands wandering up to Ianto's hair. Ianto didn't hesitate, deepening the kiss as his hand tugged on the back of Jack's neck trying to get closer to him.

"Come on, beach time!" Finn demanded from where he was stood by the front door, bucket and spade in one hand and bathing shorts on back to front. Jack and Ianto pulled apart reluctantly, both of their arms staying interlocked round each other as they regarded Finn standing by the front door impatiently. They turned back to look at each other before each of them tried to hide their grins.

"You get the towels, I'll re-dress this one." Ianto said, patting Jack on the shoulder before moving over to the door.

"Come on you, lets get you the right way round otherwise you'll be walking backwards all day, not knowing whether your coming or going." Ianto teased.

"Huh?" Finn looked up at Ianto with an expression of utter confusion on his face as Ianto lead him back down the hall to his room.


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for such a long delay guys. Life stuff got in the way and my muse up and left me because of it!

* * *

"If you are about to put that coat on to go the beach Jack Harkness," Ianto called from where he was busy putting his trainers on from the sofa.

Jack paused, hand in mid-air reaching for his coat.

"You'll do what?" He called, his fingers brushing the fabric as he smiled to himself. Before he had a chance to lift the coat from the peg though Ianto's hand had whipped the coat from underneath the fingers.

"Jack it's stupidly warm out there and you are seriously thinking about putting on a great big wool coat to go to the beach? It's bad enough you've got huge boots on." Ianto said gesturing to Jack's feet. "I left my suits behind, and I know you own jeans and t-shirts before you start arguing otherwise, I've seen them lurking at the back of your cupboard."

"And what were you doing at the back of my cupboard?" Jack questioned, eyebrow quirked as he turned to face Ianto.

"You do know that I take your clothes to the laundrette and dry cleaners?"

"Is that how they get clean, I thought we had elves in the hub." Jack mused, a deadly serious expression on his face which split into a defensive smile when he saw the glare on Ianto's face.

"Kidding!" Jack held up his hands in defence, catching an impatient looking Finlay out of the corner of his eye by the front door.

"Lets go!" Finn demanded as Ianto picked up the towels from the back of the sofa and shoved them into Jack's waiting arms. Jack watched Ianto's ass disappear out the front door in his bright red swimming trunks before he followed.

* * *

Ianto was pretending to read his book as he watched Finn and Jack not far away, building a sandcastle on the only bit of beach that actually had sand on it. They'd opted for a pebble wall with a moat that was as dry as the Sahara, no matter how many buckets of water Finn ran back up the beach with. Most of the water was sloshing over Jack and Finn than going onto the parched sand.

Jack had somehow been persuaded to lose his socks and shoes, his trousers rolled up slightly revealing hairy bare ankles and muscled calves. Jack's braces were hanging down by his sides as he continued to pack sand around the pebble wall, his forearms straining to reach wet sand, on display since he'd discarded his shirt on the towel beside Ianto, just his undershirt clinging to his muscular frame in all the right places.

Ianto was so distracted he didn't realise Finn was toddling up the beach towards him, holding out his sandy hands for inspection.

"Uncy Yan!" Finn whinged a couple of times before Ianto shook himself out of his reverie, tearing his gaze away from Jack to his nephew.

"Jack can't go swimming with me 'cause he didn't bring swim stuff." Finn moaned again, trying to wipe his sandy hands on the clean towel at Ianto's feet. Ianto's arms reached out and grasped onto Finn's forearms before they reached the towel.

"No you don't, you monster." Ianto reprimanded, pulling himself to his feet while he still kept a firm grip on Finlay.

"Go help Jack finish the wall and I'll come swim with you in a minute." Ianto encouraged, watching Finn running back down the beach and jumping on Jack's back without warning. Jack shrieked before flipping Finn over his shoulder, carefully avoiding their masterpiece, then proceeding to tickle Finn mercilessly.

Ianto smiled warmly as he removed his t-shirt and trainers, stuffing his mobile phone into his right shoe with his watch before retrieving Finn's armbands. It still amazed him how close Finn and Jack had gotten in the last few days, and how readily Finn had welcomed Jack into the family. What surprised him more though was how quickly Jack had slipped into the role of responsible adult and fun second Uncle. He had never imagined Jack in any kind of family situation and it was surprising to see him so readily surrendering to normality.

Ianto headed gingerly down the beach, stepping on the biggest flattest pebbles to reach Jack and Finn, plucking Finn from Jack's grasp and lifting him up onto his shoulders as Finn screeched. He felt Jack's eyes gazing over him appreciatively as he set off down the rest of the beach in nothing but shorts.

His head shot up when he heard someone wolf whistle back up the beach, thinking it was Jack declaring public affection. His eyes met a group of girls though that looked to be students, wearing skimpy tops and non-existent shorts. He thought for a minute they were looking at someone else but he could feel four sets of eyes burning into him as the blonde on the end wolf whistled again and all the other girls laughed.

He blushed as he turned back to Finn who was still trying to splash him, but not before he caught a glimpse of Jack halfway up the beach, propped up on his elbows looking between Ianto and the girls with a highly amused expression on his face. As he continued to play with Finn he could sense the girls glancing up and down the beach for Finlay's mother and Ianto prayed that Jack didn't make his presence known.

When he looked back though Jack had sauntered over to the group of students and seemed to be chatting with them, drawing smiles and surreptitious glances back down the beach to Ianto. Ianto tried his best to ignore them, instead concentrating on teaching Finn to kick his legs in time with his arms without soaking Ianto or kicking him in the face.

He flushed crimson though when for the third time he glanced up the beach to find Jack now wolf whistling with the best of them. He sunk further down in the water hoping the current would drag him out to sea and drown him.

By the time Finn had got bored of bobbing about on the ocean Ianto's extremities were numb from the cold of the Irish Sea and thankfully the students had dispersed to their BBQ further up the beach.

Ianto carried Finlay back up the beach other his shoulder to stop him from getting covered in sand again. Jack stood up to meet them, wrapping a towel round both their shoulders, rubbing enthusiastically at Ianto's back when he realised he was shivering.

"Have fun?" Jack enquired as he lifted Finn out of Ianto's arms.

"Not as much as you were having." Ianto commented, trying not to sound jealous, but it was extremely hard when he was green-eyed.

"I was just commenting to them on the beautiful scenery round here." Jack answered slyly, noting Ianto's resentful look as he removed Finn's armbands.

"Actually I was taking great pleasure in spinning them a tale in which you and me were happily married with this little nipper and owned a cottage in the heart of North Wales where we were pretty much self sufficient and owned a cow called Betsy." Jack answered, with a completely serious expression on his face.

"Fine, don't admit you were flirting with them." Ianto grumped, pulling Finn back out of Jack arms now that he'd finished drying himself, picking up his trainers before he started walking back up the beach to the apartment.

"Ianto." Jack called after him in a resigned drawl, but Ianto ignored him as he kept on walking up the beach with Finn in his arms.

"Uncy Yan, are you mad with Uncle Jack?" Finn enquired as he put his arms round Ianto's neck.

"No." Ianto replied curtly.

"You are. You've gone all quiet and mad." Finn stated matter of factly. It was followed by silence as Ianto continued to pick his way back up the pebbles to the promenade.

"Don't me mad with him Uncy Yan." Finn pleaded. "He's just being Uncle Jack. He's funny."

Ianto sighed as he slowed slightly to let Jack catch up. Jack waited until he was instep with Ianto until he spoke.

"You know I was telling the truth. I did tell them that story. Ok, I flirted a bit, but Ianto, how long have you known me?" Jack reasoned as he tentatively reached out for Ianto. He was bolstered by the fact Ianto didn't shrug his arm off, although he didn't say anything.

"Uncy Yan says he's sorry for being mad." Finn piped up, but before Ianto had a chance to open his mouth to protest, Finn was speaking again. "And Uncle Jack is sorry for being Uncle Jack."

Finn tugged on Ianto's neck as they reached the pavement.

"Now kiss and make up." Finn demanded slightly impatiently, which caused Ianto to laugh, almost indignantly. Jack soon followed, leaning in to kiss Ianto on the cheek.

"I'm sorry." Jack whispered as he pulled back. Ianto turned to look at Jack.

"I'm sorry too." Ianto replied as he dropped his trainers and shoved his feet into them.

"Did you really tell them that story?" Ianto asked, curious.

"Everything apart from the cow, I thought that was a bit too far." Jack laughed as he fished out the keys to the apartment.

* * *

"What's that one?" Finn demanded, tugging on Ianto's hand as they walked along the promenade to the ice-cream stand in front of the castle later on that afternoon. Jack was trailing behind them, busy watching the sea rather than where he was going.

Ianto glanced up at the flag briefly.

"The republic of Macedonia." He replied rather curtly, he was getting bored of this game, but apparently Finn wasn't as he let out a little oh of approval. Ianto was certain that Finn had never heard of Macedonia let alone knew where it was. If he was honest with himself Ianto hadn't heard of Macedonia until he had been watching Eurovision one year cradling a hangover from the previous night. It was the first and last time Ianto had watched Eurovision.

He was grateful when they reached the ice-cream hut, distracting Finn with the different ice-cream flavours which Jack offered to pay for, licking Ianto's coffee flavoured one before he even had a chance to taste it himself.

"You've got your own." Ianto protested half heartedly as he pulled the cone out of Jack's reach, grabbing Jack's that was still in the stand on the counter and shoving it against his nose before he realised what was happening.

"It's cold!" Jack protested, bouncing from one foot to the other as he pocketed his change, Ianto laughing at him as the girl behind the counter tried to hide her smile.

"Come here." Ianto chuckled, leaning in to lick the ice-cream from Jack's nose, pulling back before Jack could press a kiss to his lips.

"Come on," Ianto encouraged, taking Finn's hand as they turned to face the castle. "Let's go to the play-park."

* * *

Jack was lazily watching Finn making friends with someone on the monkey bars as he licked the last remains of ice cream from his lips, his feet stretched out in front of him as he lounged on one of the benches round the play park. Ianto returned from the bin, wiping his sticky fingers on the thighs of his jeans as he sat down, placing a hand on Jack's thigh without thinking about it.

"What was it like being married?" Ianto suddenly asked out of the blue. Jack gave a nervous chuckle in reply.

"Ianto, I've never been married."

Ianto didn't press the matter, watching Finn as let a little girl with blonde pigtails go in front of him on the slide. He felt Jack twitching nervously on the seat beside him, a far cry from his previous relaxed state and Ianto felt guilty for bringing it up now.

"What makes you think I was married?" Jack asked, the curiosity evident in his voice as he alternated between staring at Ianto's right ear and a little boy not far from where they were sitting playing with his toy digger.

Ianto hesitated in answering, worried that Jack would get angry and think Ianto had been snooping when he had only stumbled across the photograph accidentally when he had been looking for the weekly report from UNIT.

"I saw the photograph." Ianto swallowed audibly. "It was under some papers on your desk when I was looking for the UNIT report a couple of weeks ago."

Ianto didn't dare look at Jack for fear of the expression on his face. He wished he hadn't said anything; wished he hadn't caught the eye of the woman across the playground sat on the bench with her husband that struck a surprising resemble to Lisa. He could still feel the weight of the ring in his pocket counterbalancing the weight of her body as he dragged it from the fiery inferno.

"Her name was Isabella." Jack's voice sounded hoarse like it was a struggle to talk. "We got married in 1897 but she died the next year during childbirth."

"What about the child?" Ianto asked before he could stop himself.

"He didn't make it either."

Ianto suddenly remembered where his hand was resting on Jack's thigh and he gave it a reassuring squeeze, almost apologising for asking.

"It was good." Jack whispered, and Ianto could hear the trace of a smile in Jack's voice. "Sharing your life with someone, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish until death do us part. I didn't even think at the time it would be her death and not mine, I was just happy in that moment." Jack's hand covered Ianto's that was still resting on his thigh, giving it a squeeze that spoke volumes.

"I knew I had a long time to wait until I could see the Doctor again and it was nice not be so alone for a while, to have something akin to normal." Jack answered truthfully.

"Normal? What's that?" Ianto half chuckled.

"This." Jack whispered, voice full of emotion as Finn waddled back over to them. Ianto turned to look at Jack's profile, mouth opening like a goldfish, wanting to say something, wanting to do something to show how he felt; but he couldn't.

"Making friends?" Jack asked Finn before Ianto had a chance to act. Finn nodded rather bashfully as he climbed up onto the bench beside Jack, legs swinging free on the bench in bashfully glee.

"Her names Chloe but she lives in America which is really far away so we won't get to play again." Finn sighed sadly.

"Tough love kid." Jack sighed in return, placing an arm round Finn and pulling him close, kissing him on the head in reassurance.


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry for such a long delay guys. Life stuff got in the way and my muse up and left me because of it!

* * *

"Uncle Jack?"

"Yeah kid?" Jack turned back, a hand on the door, half in and half out of the bedroom.

"Can I get a story?" Finn asked innocently. Jack glanced behind him, back down the hall. He bit his lip, knowing Ianto was waiting for him in the living room, channel hopping. Jack also had a bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge, half hidden behind tomorrow's sandwiches. Jack glanced back to Finn's hopeful face though and made his decision; he knew Ianto would wait for him.

"Sure." Jack smiled, crossing to the bed and sitting down on the edge.

"Squidge up." Jack suggested, shuffling on the bed until he was sat with his back to the headboard, socked feet up on the duvet as Finn snuggled into the side of him.

"Ok, stories." Jack mused, frowning slightly as he tried to think of the fairytales he had picked up in his long life.

"How about one about a little boy called," Jack paused for dramatic emphasis. "Finn?"

Finn nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah."

"Once upon a time there was a boy called Finn who lived in a castle with his Uncle, King Ianto of Wales." Jack started as Finn settled in beside him.

"Now his Uncle had lots of Knights that he sent out into battle to defend his Kingdom so his nephew could grow up to do the same some day. King Ianto's favourite Knight, Sir Jack, was in charge of all the other Knights and used to go on the most dangerous missions for him. Sometimes King Ianto and Sir Jack would go out on missions together fighting dragons and slaying them." Jack glanced down to see Finn grinning from ear to ear.

"One day though Prince Finn's mother Princess Rhiannon fell ill. King Ianto heard tell of a magical river in the heart of Wales that held the cure to Princess Rhiannon's illness. When Prince Finn heard of this he wanted to join King Ianto and Sir Jack on the mission to discover the river, but they were worried that Prince Finn would not be able to cope with the fearsome weather and treacherous journey. King Ianto told Prince Finn that he couldn't come, and he and Sir Jack set out that afternoon. What they didn't know was that Prince Finn had hidden himself in Sir Jack's invisibility cloak on the back of his horse." Jack had a feeling he had stolen that from some other story, but Finn didn't seem to notice so he ploughed on.

"So King Ianto and Sir Jack, with Prince Finn secretly in tow, journeyed through the perilous countryside into the heart of mid-Wales encountering terrifying heights and unpredictable weather until they finally came to a small town called Aberystwyth."

Finn gave a small cheer and Jack laughed before continuing.

"When they arrived they were directed towards the town's wise woman who told them that what they seeked, sought?" Jack frowned, was sought a word? He shook his head. "What they were looking for lay in a small village to the east of the town, but she warned them that the Devil guarded the healing water and tricked people into giving up their own souls for their loved ones."

Finn gave a little gasp as he turned to Jack with anguished eyes.

"King Ianto-"

"King Ianto says time for bed." Ianto interrupted, ducking his head through the door.

"Uncy Yan!" Finn moaned at the exact same time as Jack whined Ianto's name.

"At least let me finish the story?" Jack pouted, giving his best puppy dog impression.

"No more than ten minutes. It's way past your bedtime." Ianto threatened slightly. "Yours too." He added, glancing at Jack briefly before he retreated out the room. Jack caught the devilish smile on Ianto's face and found himself drifting off for a moment. He shook his head when he realised Finn was still waiting expectantly.

"Now where was I?"

"The devil was gonna take King Ianto's soul!" Finn jumped in excitedly.

"Oh yeah." Jack smiled ruefully before he continued.

"So King Ianto and Sir Jack made it to the small village where the healing water ran down the side of a mountain into a large pool at the bottom. At the side of the pool was a lovely maiden combing her golden hair. Now King Ianto was the first to speak to her, asking her if he could help her. But the maiden turned out to be the devil in disguise." Jack resisted the urge to start singing Elvis Presley.

"Oh no!" Finn gasped, before tugging at Jack's shirt sleeve. "Did King Ianto get away?"

"Well, Sir Jack realised that it was the devil, but too late, and by then the devil already had King Ianto under his control, taking his soul in exchange for enough healing water for Princess Rhiannon. Sir Jack was now torn between reviving his King or saving the Princess."

"What did he do?" Finn asked, eyes wide with fear.

"Well at that point Prince Finn made himself known and jumped out from under the invisibility cloak. Before Sir Jack could stop him though he rushed towards the Devil demanding that he let his Uncle go and in return the Devil could have his brother Prince Thomas' soul."

Finn looked confused. "But Prince Finn doesn't have a brother."

"Ah, but Prince Finn knew this, and he was tricking the Devil into giving him back his Uncle and getting away with enough healing water to cure his mother." Jack had a glint in his eyes that said he was proud of the ending of his story.

"Now Prince Finn presented the Devil with a box that said held the key to the tower his brother was held in." Jack paused, suddenly realising that he'd just mashed about ten fairytales into one sentence, but never-the-less continued.

"As Prince Finn and Sir Jack rescued King Ianto from the Devil's clutches, the Devil, still in his maiden form, opened the box to reveal a mirror. The mirror reflected off the water of the pool, trapping the Devil in his own reflection forever." Jack grinned, although he could see Finn's face falling at the anti-climax of the story.

"Now King Ianto, Sir Jack and Prince Finn rode back to the castle with the healing water for Princess Rhiannon, curing her so they all lived happily ever after." Jack finished with a flourish as Finn looked up at him sceptically. Finn's excitement for the story had worn out with Jack's rather lame ending.

"Is that it?" Finn asked, already trying to muffle a yawn.

"Well why don't you cosy down in bed and think up a better ending to the story and you can tell me and Uncle Ianto in the car on the way home tomorrow?" Jack asked, climbing out the bed and smoothing the covers over Finn.

"Ok!" Finn enthused, settling down under the covers and clutching his rabbit to his chest.

"Night Kid." Jack smiled, bending down and kissing him on the forehead, flicking the night light on before exiting the small bedroom. He could hear Finn mumbling something about Pirates and Ninjas as he shut the door behind himself.

When Jack emerged back into the living area he found Ianto slumped on the couch, his phone resting on his stomach next to the TV remote, the TV muted in the background that Ianto was watching though half lidded eyes.

"Did King Ianto live to fight another day?" Ianto asked round a muffled yawn, not making a move as he heard the fridge door open and close behind him.

"King Ianto saved the day and Sir Jack celebrated with him that evening." Jack replied as he moved round the front of the couch, presenting Ianto with the bottle of champagne he'd hidden in the fridge.

"What's the occasion?" Ianto's eyebrow quirked slightly.

"You mean apart from you?" Jack questioned, twisting the wire that held the cork in place. Ianto frowned sceptically.

"I just figured it was our last night together on holiday, which I think is reason for celebration enough, but also because," Jack paused in opening the bottle of champagne, one hand on the cork and one on the bottom of the bottle as he looked down at Ianto still slouched on the sofa.

"I love you." Jack spoke candidly, not taking his eyes off of Ianto as he brought himself to his feet. He leant in and kissed Jack tenderly on the lips. When he pulled back it took all the effort to hide the smile on his face.

"I'll go get some glasses." Ianto said softly, his hand lingering on Jack's shoulder as he turned away to the kitchen.

Jack's eyes followed him, absentmindedly twisting the cork in the bottle before it exploded with a loud pop. Champagne bubbles exploded over his hand as Ianto rushed towards him with some glasses. Jack's instincts took over though as he placed his mouth over the end of the bottle and ended up coughing and spluttering as the bubbles went up his nose.

"Give it here." Ianto laughed, taking the bottle from Jack and pouring some of the liquid into the first glass before he placed the bottle on the Cambrian News that was on the coffee table. He turned back to Jack who was still coughing and spluttering, causing Ianto to start rubbing his back.

"You ok?" Ianto asked through a smile. Jack's eyes watered as he tried to nod in reassurance.

"Maybe you should stick to water." Ianto teased.

* * *

Ianto twisted on the couch, placing his now empty glass on the coffee table next to the empty bottle. Jack shifted slightly at the sudden loss of warmth before Ianto leant back into the couch and the side of Jack again. One of Jack's legs was draped over Ianto's, slightly possessively, his hand on Ianto's thigh as he dozed dreamlessly. Ianto smiled as he turned towards him, a hand running up his shirt to rest over Jack's heart before he was leaning in to steal a kiss from the sleeping man.

"I love you too."


	14. Chapter 14

I'm afraid this fic is coming to an end. There's only another two chapters left after this I'm afraid guys! Thank you to all of you that have stuck with it and have loved it to bits! I appreciate it! :)

* * *

Jack watched the steady rise and fall of Ianto's chest as he breathed into the stark white pillow case. He looked the picture of innocence in sleep, and it was only when Ianto was asleep that Jack witnessed the true Ianto Jones. He looked younger than his twenty-four years rather than older, all the worry, all the weight of the world just seemed to slip away from him.

"Stop it." Ianto's voice was muffled from where he was half buried in the pillows.

"Stop what?" Jack asked guiltily, slightly startled to find Ianto awake.

"Stop doing a Bridget Jones and watching me while I sleep." Ianto mumbled, not moving or opening his eyes.

"How do you know I'm watching you if you don't even have your eyes open?" Jack answered cheekily.

"Just go watch cartoons with Finn or something." Ianto grouched as Jack continued to watch him. "It's unnerving."

Jack chuckled before he pressed a kiss to Ianto's forehead, then one to the side of his neck, one to the shoulder and finally one to Ianto's lips. Jack pulled back abruptly though.

"Ok. I'll go watch cartoons." Jack said cheerily, pulling back the covers and making to get out the bed. Ianto's hand reached out and grabbed Jack by the forearm, pulling him back into the bed on top of him.

"You are such a tease." Ianto groaned before trying to kiss Jack hungrily. Jack pulled out of Ianto's reach though.

"I thought you wanted to sleep?"

"I'm awake now!" Ianto moaned, looping his hands round Jack's neck and attempting to pull Jack towards him again for another kiss. Jack resisted and Ianto had to resort to dirty tactics, tickling Jack under the arms so he collapsed on top of Ianto in gales of childish laughter.

"That's cheating!" Jack protested.

"Makes a change, usually you're the one who cheats." Ianto rebuked as Jack rolled his eyes and eventually gave into the irresistibility of Ianto, capturing him in a passionate kiss.

Ianto considered stopping Jack's wandering hands briefly but his brain hadn't woken up before Jack was inappropriately groping, enough to distract Ianto from the fact his nephew was down the corridor. It wasn't long though before Finn made his presence known.

"Uncy Yan!" Finn called, pushing the door of the bedroom open and toddling over to the bed as Ianto rolled his eyes.

"I want a hug too!" Finn called as he tried to clamber up onto what used to be Jack's side of the bed.

"No wonder you don't have any brothers or sisters." Ianto grumbled as Jack laughed, reaching out to pick up Finlay, pulling him onto the bed.

Finn launched himself at Ianto and hugged him tightly before planting a wet sloppy kiss on his cheek before doing the exact same with Jack. Finlay then proceeded to burrow under the covers between the two of them so that any further cheating was put to an unadulterated halt. Both Jack and Ianto looked at each other over the top of Finlay's head, equal expressions of annoyance at being interrupted again before Ianto was pulling the covers back up over himself and settling back down into bed.

"Uncy Yan!" Finn whined, poking Ianto's side. "Time to get up!"

"No." Ianto pouted, pulling the covers over his head in a scary resemblance of a languid teenager. Jack chuckled as he watched Finn poking chubby fingers at the lump in the covers that was Ianto.

"We have to go home and see Mummy today!" Finn was adamant.

"Don't want to." Came the muffled reply from under the covers in childish defiance.

"We'll just have to leave you behind then." Jack teased as Finn continued to prod Ianto. Finn screamed though when Ianto launched himself from under the covers, flinging them over Finlay's head and proceeding to tickle him.

"Uncy Yan!" Finn screeched, trying to make Ianto stop between fits of laughter.

"Uncle Jack! Help!" Finn squealed as he managed to get his head out from under the covers.

"Don't look at me kid!" Jack held up his hands. "I'm not getting involved."

"That's what you think." Ianto smirked and launched himself on Jack before he even had a chance to leap from the bed.

"Stop it!" Jack screeched as Ianto went for the ribs just as Finn clambered out from under the covers, attacking Jack on his other side.

They all ended up lying on their backs on the bed in breathless laughter, limbs flung every which way. Finn was the first to recover, crawling over Ianto's stomach and Jack's legs to get to the edge of the bed nearest the door.

"Can we make breakfast now?" Finn asked. "I'm hungry."

"Give me a minute Finn and we'll make pancakes before we pack up shall we?" Ianto asked, staring up at the ceiling as he continued to try and catch his breath.

"Yeah!" Finn cheered as he toddled out of the bedroom.

"How long do you think before he'll come looking for us again?" Ianto questioned, flinging an arm out so it lay across Jack's thighs. Jack gave a gasped chuckle in reply.

"We could just wait until tonight."

"It's my holiday too you know!" Ianto protested.

"I think the sooner we get back to work the better; you're regressing back to a toddler prone to temper tantrums." Jack teased.

"Yet with the sex drive of a sixteen year old." Ianto replied as he flipped himself up so he was straddling Jack, planting a kiss firmly on his lips before rolling off the bed.

"Come on, you can help make your famous banana pancakes." Ianto grabbed at Jack's hand trying to coax him from the bed. Jack was a dead weight now though, refusing to move.

"Now who's the kid?" Ianto asked jokingly. "If you move I'll make real coffee." Ianto coaxed. Jack leapt out of the bed and stood to attention.

"Sir, yes Sir!" Jack saluted before ushering Ianto out of the bedroom. Both of them smiled as they entered the corridor to see the four year old stood in the kitchen doorway now, a frying pan in his hands, trailing behind him.

"Can we make pancakes now?"

* * *

Ianto was stood on the side of the road behind the boot of the car frowning down at it when Jack re-emerged from the apartment with another couple of bags in hand.

"You know I swear it all fitted on Friday." Ianto observed as he pushed unenthusiastically at a couple of bags.

"It did." Jack observed as he plonked the bags down on the road, letting out a sigh as he realised how warm he was.

"You mean to say your cars not a TARDIS?" Jack teased, helping Ianto to reshuffle some of the bags.

"Are you colour blind?" Ianto enquired shoving his rucksack further into the gap between the bonnet and the wheel arch. "My car's black not blue."

Jack guffawed with laughter, shoving one of the bags he'd brought out into Ianto's chest as he too started laughing.

"Uncy Yan, I can't find James." Finn moaned as he crawled out of the backseat of the car, looking like he was going to burst into tears.

"Is he not in your bag?" Ianto asked, squashing the last bag into the boot and closing it quickly before it all fell out again. He wasn't quick enough though.

Finn shook his head, looking up at Jack and Ianto forlornly.

"Come on," Jack held out his hand for Finn to take which he did without hesitation. "Why don't we go check in the apartment while Uncle Ianto finishes packing the car?"

Ianto sighed and rolled his eyes as Jack took the toddler back across the road to the easier job.

* * *

"Bye Bye Aberystwyth!" Ianto and Finn chorused together as Jack negotiated the roundabout by Morrisons, taking the road that lead down the coast to Aberaeron.

"Uncy Yan?" Finn asked as they passed the road sign for Devil's Bridge.

"Yup?" Ianto asked, turning in his seat slightly so he could see his nephew who was swinging his legs happily in his car seat.

"Can we go on holiday again?" Finn asked, doing his best innocent face, not quite able to hide the rising smirk.

Ianto laughed. "Can we get home from this one before we start planning the next one?"

"Ok, but can we take Mummy next time too? And Daddy as well if he's not at work?" Finn pressed.

"I'm not sure Mummy would want to come on holiday with Uncle Jack and me." Ianto observed, cringing at the thought of going on holiday with his sister again. The last time he'd been on holiday with his sister had been for a week in Salou in Spain with a group of her mates and a group of his when he was seventeen and she twenty. He'd slept with her best mate one night when he was so drunk he could barely remember his own name. This had caused her to refuse to talk to him for the rest of the holiday, eventually getting her own back by sleeping with his best mate. When they got back to the arms of their loving parents their Mam thought they had been mugged. Ianto had a black eye from where his sister had hit him with the heel of her shoe and Rhiannon had a split lip from where her brother had pushed her into a tree after being kicked out of a bar for the blazing row they were having that had seen drinks thrown and glasses broken.

"What about Daddy?" Finn asked, looking and sounding hopeful.

Ianto looked nervously over at Jack before he replied, looking for advice or support, but Ianto knew as well as Jack that he was no good with domestic problems and affairs of the heart, even if these last few days had proven otherwise.

"I don't know if Daddy will want to Finn." Ianto said nervously. "Although you can always ask him." Ianto added as an afterthought when he saw Finn's face fall. Ianto let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Now they were on the road home it was like he was on the road back to the real world. All the thoughts he'd manage to push aside for the last couple of days started to plague him again. The Rift pushed to the forefront of his mind, closely followed by his sister and her impending divorce and suddenly his relationship with Jack didn't seem all beaches and champagne.

Ianto turned to look out the window, trying to inhale the calmness of the passing countryside, accidentally hitting his head off the window where he had collided with the wall a few days ago. He let out a hiss of pain as they left the remainder of the town of Aberystwyth behind.


	15. Chapter 15

Chris finally gets whats coming to him! Hurrah was the cry! ;) I know - huge bombshell in this chapter, how on earth can I end it here?! You all cry. Well, I'll let you in on a secret - "The end of something is the beginning of something else."

* * *

They pulled up outside Ianto's house in front of a blue Volvo estate that Ianto immediately recognised. He was out of the car before Jack had even turned off the engine.

"Ianto?" Jack called as Ianto disappeared up the path to his front door. He frowned as he watched Ianto disappear inside while he reached into the back of the car to unbuckle Finn from his car seat before he too was haring up the garden path.

"I'll just bring the bags in then shall I?" Jack called to no one in particular, sighing as he turned to regard the boot.

"Get out of my house." Ianto said as calmly as he could as he emerged into the kitchen, Finn following close behind and running into Ria's open arms.

"I'm here to talk to my wife." Chris voiced, barely paying Ianto the blindest bit of attention.

"I don't care if the bloody Queen is coming round here for tea, I want you out of my house in the next minute before I kick you out." Ianto ground out between gritted teeth.

"I'll leave after she's signed this." Chris said, waving the papers in front of Ria's face as she continued to clutch Finlay to her.

"I've already told you I'm not signing it." Ria shook her head, stepping closer to her brother as Jack appeared in the door behind Ianto.

"Rhiannon, just sign it and then I can go." Chris took a step towards Ria, trying to press the paper's and pen into her hand.

"Just give me Finn and sign it. You want to come with Daddy don't you Finny?" Chris coaxed as Finn watched his father wide eyed, looking between his father and mother with a look of confusion.

"I want to stay here with Mummy and Uncy Yan and Uncle Jack." Finn admitted after a moment, and that was all the encouragement Ianto needed.

"I asked you to leave. I'm not going to ask again." Ianto stepped towards Chris.

"Look Ianto, just keep out of this yeah. It's none of your business gay boy!"

Ianto didn't get a chance to reply before a fist connected with Chris' chin, knocking him flat on his back. Ria let out a little scream but made no move towards him. Jack was hauling Chris back to his feet now after flooring him, dragging him out the kitchen door and finally out the front door. He let him drop just past the front gate, the divorce paper's fluttering down to the floor with him.

"I see you round here again I'm going to do more than hit you." Jack's voice was low and growling, a finger pointing down at Chris who was hurriedly gathering the papers.

"I'm going to report you to the police." Chris was threatening as he pulled himself to his feet, trying to straighten his shirt as Ria and Ianto appeared on the front doorstep.

"Go ahead. You'll find out very quickly that I'm above the police, so if I see you within a mile of Ianto's house or Ianto, Ria or Finn I will not be held accountable for my actions. You want this sorted out you go through lawyers like anyone else, not by throwing your weight about, because you'll find out very quickly that I am so much better at it than you." Jack threatened, glaring at Chris until he backed away down the street into his car and drove off at well above the speed limit.

"You didn't have to do that." Ianto said calmly from behind Jack.

"Yes I did." Jack uttered, turning to face Ianto who was stood with his arms round his sister who was crying into his shoulder, Finlay in her arms watching Jack with an unreadable expression on his face.

Jack watched the curtains twitching next door and put a hand on both Ianto and Rhiannon's shoulder's, ushering them back inside.

"Come on, I'll make us a cup of tea."

Jack set the kettle going as Rhiannon and Ianto sat down at the kitchen table, Finn on Rhiannon's lap. It was only now she noticed the bump on his head.

"What happened to you?" Ria sniffled, taking the kitchen roll Ianto offered her to wipe her now bloodshot eyes.

"I ran into the doorway but Uncle Jack kissed it and made it all better, like he did with Uncy Yan's owie." Finn enthused as Ria's eyebrow quirked at the mention of Uncle Jack.

"Uncle Jack?" Ria questioned, turning to regard the man stood at the kettle putting a teabag into the teapot.

"Yup, Uncy Yan said that I could call him Uncle Jack if he didn't mind and he doesn't so I geted to call him Uncle Jack 'cause Uncy Yan said that they probably wouldn't get married and I wanted him to be in our family so I get to call him Uncle Jack." Finn was bouncing on his mother's knee in excitement now, totally forgotten that Jack had only just dumped his father out on the pavement moments ago.

"And Uncle Jack bought me James as well to go with Thomas." Finn looked set to recount the whole holiday in vivid detail and out of order to Rhiannon, but Ianto interrupted, seeing his sister wasn't really in the mood to hear about the holiday.

"Why don't you go and set up James in the other room so show Mummy?" Ianto encouraged, watching as Finn scrambled down from his mother's lap and ran out of the kitchen.

"Ianto," Ria started as soon as Finn was out of earshot, fiddling with her necklace nervously as she wrapped one hand round the mug Jack placed in front of her. "I've got something I need to tell you."

Ianto suddenly looked worried as he distractedly took the mug of tea Jack was offering him.

"It's going to complicate things with the divorce, and I don't want it to, so I don't know whether to tell him or not." Ria rambled, continuing to stare into the depths of her mug.

"Ria what are you talking about?" Ianto demanded, a confused air of nervousness about him.

Ria looked up at Ianto, catching his eye. "I'm pregnant."

"You're what? You're how?" Ianto stumbled over his words, looking wide eyed at his sister.

"Ianto I think you're old enough to know how I got pregnant." Ria joked, laughing nervously.

"Yeah," Ianto shook his head, blinking a couple of times for good measure. "But, is it Chris'?"

Ria nodded, sipping on her mug of tea. "He cheated on me, not the other way round."

"Are you going to keep it?" Ianto pressed, ignoring Jack's slightly disbelieving look from where he was still stood leaning against the kitchen work surface beside the kettle.

"Of course." Ria looked offended that Ianto would think otherwise.

"Right," Ianto elongated the word as his mind processed everything. He wanted to ask his sister if she would be living with him permanently, what Chris had wanted in the divorce settlement, how she was going to cope being a single Mum, but he couldn't find the words. Everything had seemed so much simpler in Aberystwyth when he had been playing on the beach with Jack and Finn. It had seemed so much more happy families. Now he was left trying to balance his home life with his Torchwood life and that scared the hell out of him. He had always maintained a healthy distance with the two but now with Ria living here and the new baby and Jack being Uncle Jack it would get harder and it made Torchwood seem unbelievably real.

* * *

"I'm going to go over to the Hub, check in with the team. I'll come back later on though if you want." Jack reassured as he saw the panicked look on Ianto's face, glancing back up the stairs to where his nephew and sister were now asleep.

"I'll come with you." Ianto enthused, grasping at his keys. Jack motioned for them though.

"I'll drive. You're still in shock." Jack explained, taking Ianto's keys from him.

"She's pregnant." Ianto voiced again, the shock and disbelief still present in his voice.

"Ianto you really should know about the birds and the bees by now." Jack teased, pulling on his coat and steering Ianto out the front door of his house, locking it quietly behind them so as not to wake Ria and Finn.

"I know but," Ianto broke off, taking a deep breath. "It's just a bit much. I know she's going to stay with me for a while, and you're always round here and you and her and Finn are two separate worlds and I kept them as two separate worlds and now they're not anymore 'cause you're suddenly Uncle Jack and she's pregnant and getting a divorce and I can't be Ianto Jones, efficient Torchwood employee and Uncy Yan and Ianto, dorky younger brother all at the same time, I just can't Jack." Ianto shook his head, turning towards Jack from where he had a grasp on the door handle of the car.

"You forgot Ianto Jones, wanton sex slave." Jack added, grinning. Ianto just stared in disbelief.

"Look," Jack started, stepping towards Ianto and taking a hold of his hand. "Ianto you can't separate all those people. You're Uncy Yan, brother Ianto, lover Ianto, efficient Ianto and one that I've only recently discovered and is quickly becoming my personal favourite, childlike Ianto." Jack grinned.

"But," Ianto started, soon grinding to a halt though, nothing left to say now he knew Jack was right. Jack stepped in, pressing a chaste kiss to Ianto's lips before he opened the car.

"Are you done freaking out for the minute?" Jack asked as he sat down in the drivers seat.

Ianto considered it for a moment before nodding. "For the minute."

"Can we go check those three haven't burned down the Hub, killed each other or had a weevil orgy?" Jack asked as he started the engine, Ianto slamming his door shut and pulling his seatbelt on.

"You forgot option D." Ianto pointed out, turning to regard Jack with a mischievous grin.

"What's that?" Jack enquired, looking intrigued.

"All of the above." Ianto stated matter-of-factly as Jack burst into laughter before he threw the car into first gear and sped off down Ianto's road in the direction of the Bay.

"Why did you punch Chris by the way?" Ianto asked as they were driving past the signs for Atlantic Wharf, almost at the Bay car park.

"Promise you won't have another hissy fit?" Jack asked dubiously, causing Ianto to snort with laughter.

"I promise."

Jack looked back over at Ianto as he pulled up at the lights. "Because I care about you, therefore I care about your family."

Ianto smiled, truly heartened by Jack's words, but the sadistic side of him let the joke slip through.

"Funny, you don't seem to feel the same when it comes to Rhys." Ianto commented.

"That's different and you know it!" Jack argued as he pulled away again. Ianto didn't say anything though, he was too busy having an internal freak out again.

* * *

Gwen looked up at the sound of the Hub alarm, confused for a moment. Tosh was in the boardroom sorting out case notes. Owen was in down in the vaults feeding Janet. Then it dawned on her that it was Monday evening.

She watched the two of them trailing up the stairs, Ianto dressed in casual clothes, the bump on his head now a fading bruise and Jack dressed like his usual self but looking a lot more relaxed than usual.

"You finally decided to come back to us then?" Gwen teased.

"Well we didn't think you could cope any longer without us." Jack replied, giving her his patent Harkness' grin.

"Everything alright here?" Jack asked, shoving his hands in his pockets as he frowned slightly at the eerie silence. "Owen and Tosh killed each other?"

Gwen smiled before shaking her head. "Well Tosh got close to rat genocide but apart from that they've pretty much silently made up."

"How was the holiday then?" Gwen asked, swinging round in her chair so she could regard Ianto who had sat himself down on the sofa.

"It was good." Jack answered for him, nodding with a knowing smile on his face.

"No details as to what you got up to then and what on earth Ianto train was about?" Gwen questioned still looking at Ianto who was staring blankly into his lap.

"Well Jack didn't get to ride the Ianto train if that's what you're asking." Jack deflected, causing Gwen to chuckle, screwing up her eyes slightly in disgust.

"I would hope not with children in the next room." Gwen replied, noticing Ianto's head shooting up at the world children.

"You okay Ianto?" Gwen probed, eyeing him with some concern.

"Yup, great holiday, although with Jack and Finn to look after it wasn't really a holiday but more of a summer camp." Ianto joked, shaking himself out of his revere, and giving Gwen a disarming smile that was just unnerving on Ianto.

"That's the last time I make you pancakes." Jack teased, pushing Ianto playfully back onto the couch when he tried to stand up, causing Ianto to laugh. Gwen frowned again, noticing the sudden change in Ianto's demeanour and how he was suddenly so much more relaxed.

"Back in one piece then?" Tosh called as she emerged into the main area of the Hub, smiling at both Jack and Ianto who were now heading over to the coffee machine together.

"We had sex on the beach Tosh, it was amazing." Jack joked playfully, causing Tosh to make a face that suggested that she wasn't entirely comfortable with that amount of information being disclosed in a greeting. Jack flashed Ianto a grin as he rolled his eyes.

"Only in your dreams." Ianto chided. "All that sand in hard to reach places is just not healthy."


	16. Chapter 16

Well this is it I'm afraid. Last chapter of this fic. But fear not - Jack, Ianto and Finn will return in another adventure very soon. ;) Thank you all for reading!

* * *

"Jack?" Gwen barged into Jack's office without knocking, waving a folder in front of her. "See these reports that have come back from UNIT, were they supposed to go," Gwen stopped mid-sentence as she looked up at Jack who was hastily wiping at his eyes with one hand while pushing photos back into a box with the other.

"Were they supposed to what?" He asked, giving her a patent Harkness smile as he closed the lid on the old biscuit tin.

"Is everything ok Jack?" Gwen questioned as she took the last few steps towards Jack's desk. Her eye caught an aging photo he had missed on the desk of an couple smartly dressed. She caught sight of Jack's face before Jack was whipping the photo out of sight into the biscuit tin.

"Everything's fine. Those reports?" Jack quirked an eyebrow, indicating the files in Gwen's hand.

"Yeah," The vowels in the middle got lengthened as Gwen tried to pry her eyes away from the lid of the biscuit tin. "Were they supposed to go to Glasgow before us? 'Cause they haven't."

"I think so." Jack replied, flicking through the files quickly. "Double check with Ianto and then stick them in the post." Jack handed the files back to Gwen. "But I'd make copies, and maybe send an e-mail as well, you know what Archie's like."

Gwen nodded, watching Jack for a moment longer before retreating out his office.

She found Ianto in the archives, his sleeves rolled up as he beat dust off several stacks of files, coughing slightly.

"Ianto?" Gwen called when she was a few feet away from him.

"Hello?" Ianto spun on his heel towards Gwen, a smile on his face.

"Were these supposed to go to Glasgow?" Gwen asked, thrusting the files under his nose. Ianto perused them for a moment before handing them back.

"Yup. But I would photocopy them first and maybe e-mail Archie because,"

"You know what Archie's like." Gwen finished, mirroring his smile.

"Never thought I'd find someone as bad at paperwork as Owen." Ianto teased as he turned back to the stacks of files. When he swung back round again Gwen was still stood there watching him.

"Was there something else you wanted?" Ianto asked dubiously.

Gwen didn't waste time beating about the bush. "Is Jack ok?"

Ianto blinked a couple of times at Gwen, always surprised by her bluntness. "As far as I'm aware, why?"

Gwen sighed. "He was just, well he was looking at some photographs out of an old biscuit tin and I think, I think he was crying."

Ianto let out his own sigh. "I'll talk to him." He didn't wait for a reply from Gwen before he was striding out of the archives towards Jack's office.

"Ianto?" Gwen frowned before following after him at a jog.

"Ianto?" she called again as he moved into Jack's office shutting the door behind him. Gwen had her hand on the door, peering through the glass to find Ianto leaning on the desk and Jack looking up at him like a deer caught in headlights before she found that she couldn't intrude. She suddenly knew that this wasn't a Torchwood matter, she didn't even need Ianto's words that drifted out under the door to her.

"I thought we talked about this?" Ianto pressed his palms into the desk, leaning towards Jack.

"Talked about what? Bursting into my office all manly and impulsive? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I would remember a conversation like that." Jack teased.

"Gwen found you with those photos crying over them, I thought we'd talked about the fact that we were going to be together, immortality and Torchwood be damned?"

"We did." Jack said after a moments hesitation.

"Then why are you still upset about it?" Ianto asked more gently.

"I'm not."

"Then why the fuck were you crying Jack?" Ianto asked, losing patience.

"I wasn't." Jack had a look of amusement on his face now as he bent to retrieve the tin from the bottom draw of his desk. He shifted through the contents for a moment before he passed a photo over to Ianto who still had a confused look on his face.

Ianto took the photo from Jack's hands, regarding it for a moment as a blush crept onto his face before he burst out laughing. Jack soon joined him laughing before tears were streaming down both their faces.

"When the hell did you take this?" Ianto asked when he got his breath back, turning it back so Jack could see it again.

"Well I didn't take it did I? You want to have a word with that nephew of yours." Jack reached out for the photo but Ianto drew it away.

"I think I'll keep this." Ianto said, clutching the photo to his chest as Jack tried to snatch it again.

"Oi you, give it back." Jack leapt up round the desk as Ianto backed away towards the door. "Get your own." Jack made another grab for the photo as Ianto twisted the doorknob of Jack's office and made a hasty retreat.

"Ianto!" Jack whined, following the young Welshman out into the hub. Three faces turned to regard the childish argument as Ianto leapt round Tosh's chair, putting a surprised Tosh between him and Jack.

"No using Tosh as a shield, that's cheating!" Jack moaned, making another grab for the photo as Ianto pulled out of his reach again, dancing round Tosh's chair.

"Eh, what's going on?" Tosh asked as she spun in her seat, giving a nervous chuckle.

"Ianto is acting like a child and won't give me something back." Jack bemoaned, stomping his foot on the grating as Ianto dodged out his way again, backing down the stairs.

"Yes, Ianto is clearly the one being the child in this situation." Owen commented, watching with an amused look on his face as Ianto beat a hasty retreat up the stairs to the hothouse.

"Don't you dare knock over any of my plants!" Owen called after them, getting up to follow. Tosh giggled as Ianto dove inside the hothouse, Jack hot on his trail before she noticed Gwen with a puzzled look on her face.

"Gwen? You ok?" Tosh asked, getting up to go and stand beside her at her desk.

"Yeah, it's just," Gwen paused as there was a crash from somewhere above followed by Owen cursing and Ianto reappearing at the other side of the hothouse.

"You can clear that up! That wasn't my fault!" Ianto called cheekily before he ducked out of Jack's grasp again, running down the stairs.

"I don't understand those two now." Gwen commented, shifting slightly in her chair so she could see where Jack now had Ianto round the waist, trying to hold onto him with one hand while the other reached for the photo Ianto was holding just out of reach.

"What do you mean?" Tosh asked, unable to hide her smirk as Jack managed to snatch the photo back from Ianto before dropping him at the edge of the water so his shoes got wet.

"Well since they've come back they've been so silly and childlike and more, I don't know, they seem a lot closer." Gwen observed.

"And this is bad?" Tosh questioned, turning to regard Gwen and frowning slightly at her words.

"No." Gwen shook her head. "But I caught Jack crying not long ago and now he's laughing and joking like nothing happened."

"Sure they weren't happy tears?" Tosh asked before laughing outright as Ianto poured the contents of his wet shoe over Jack's head. "Hundreds of years without anyone, without a family, you not think maybe he deserves someone." Tosh voiced, her words not really a question, more a statement of fact.

"He's jealous of you and Rhys you know." Tosh added as her and Gwen continued to watch the play fight between Jack and Ianto, both of whom had apparently forgotten what they were arguing over. Gwen's eyes widened slightly, turning to look at Tosh.

"Not because he wishes he was with you." Tosh clarified. "He wants what you have, and I think maybe over the weekend he's suddenly realised what he's got with Ianto is the closest he's going to get to that."

Gwen regarded Tosh for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"Ever think about becoming an agony aunt?" Gwen half teased as Owen started yelling at Jack and Ianto again. Both men stopping in the throws of trying to dump each other in the water to look up at Owen like naughty school children caught in the act.

* * *

Ianto was sat on his living room floor, a photo album spread out in front of him and Finlay in his lap. Finn was sliding the pictures from the Aberystwyth weekend into the plastic album sleeves that Jack had finally given Ianto after much persuasion while Ianto was writing what they were in the margin.

"Can we put this one in a photo frame instead of the album Uncy Yan?" Finn asked, picking up the photo that held Jack, Ianto and Finn in place, smiling at the stranger behind the camera that Jack had collared into taking a picture.

"I suppose we could, but I don't have a frame to put it in." Ianto reasoned, taking the picture from Finn. He gazed into his own eyes for a long moment and the mirthfully youth reflected there that mirrored both Jack's and Finn's.

"We could go shopping tomorrow and get one." Finn suggested, already sliding in the next photo that captured Finn and Jack building pebble sandcastles.

"I have to go to work I'm afraid but maybe Mummy might take you to pick one out?" Ianto suggested, glancing over his shoulder at his sister as she appeared in the living room with a half glass of wine.

"Mummy might take you if you don't wake her up at the crack of dawn." Ria voiced as she slumped on the couch behind Ianto.

"Should you be drinking?" Ianto questioned, straining to see his sister who just glared at him in return.

"When did you become a doctor?" Ria sniped, taking a rather large mouthful in defiance. Ianto frowned, looking back down at the photo album over Finlay's head.

"Sorry Ianto." Ria sighed and Ianto felt his sister's fingers in his hair, an oddly comforting experience after so many years without that reassuring touch.

"I don't mean to snap at you." Ria apologised as Ianto felt her lips through his hair. Ianto leaned back slightly so his head was resting against Ria's left leg.

"I know." Ianto soothed, one hand coming to snake round his sister's leg, rubbing it slightly while the other held onto to Finn as he threatened to tip forward into the coffee table.

"Jack not coming round tonight?" Ria asked as she caught sight of one of the pictures that housed a slightly blurry photo of Jack and Ianto. It was lopsided and Ria guessed that Finn must have taken it since half her brother's head was missing. That wasn't what mattered though; Ianto looked unequivocally happy.

"He's working." Ianto replied, scribbling down 'Finn & Jack's Stone Sandcastles. Aberystwyth '08.' in the margin of the album.

"Isn't that the same place you work?" Ria questioned, a slightly teasing tone to her voice. Ianto sighed, knowing full well he couldn't keep anything from his sister.

"I may have had a minor freak out at him about work and home being separate in my life which is why I think he didn't come home with me tonight." Ianto replied, putting the album back down so Finn could slide the next photo in.

"But he's Uncle Jack." Finn voiced, carefully picking up the blurred image of Ianto and Jack that had previously captivated Ria's attention and sliding it into the plastic wallet.

"From the mouth of babes." Ria mumbled before taking another sip of wine, reaching for the television remote and turning it on. Ianto knew without looking his sister had a knowing smirk on her face. He also knew – as always – she was right.

* * *

Jack looked up when he heard the hub door rolling back and the proximity alert sounding. By the time he had reached his office doorway Ianto was at the top of the stairs, looking across the expanse of the hub at him.

"I thought you were spending the night with your family?" Jack asked after a long silence, folding his arms across his chest in a defensive gesture.

"I was." Ianto replied softly, swallowing slightly at the sudden dryness in his throat as he shoved his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Thing is," Ianto started, shuffling from one foot to the other before looking back up at Jack. "There's someone missing."

"Really?" Jack asked, trying to keep the grin from his face.

"Jack if I finish that sentence it's going to sound like the end of some cheesy romantic comedy."

Ianto rolled his eyes at himself.

"But if you don't finish it then I might not know what you're talking about." Jack replied, shuffling forward towards Ianto slightly. Ianto sighed, frowning up at Jack.

"What do you want me to say? That the bed's too big without you? That you're Uncle Jack? That I want you to come home to where you belong? Does it really need saying Jack?" Ianto asked, throwing his hands wide in a gesture of how open he was being.

"You're right, it is a bit 'cheesy romantic comedy'. I'll just get my coat." Jack replied, pointing over his shoulder into his office. Jack couldn't help but smile to himself though as he disappeared inside, pulling his greatcoat from the coat stand. He paused as he pulled the coat over his shoulders, remembering the first time he had been called Uncle Jack by Finn and how at home he had felt, how pleased he had been to hear about him and Ianto growing old on a Veranda together in the Welsh countryside. Before he had a chance to turn round he felt Ianto's arms curling round his back, clasping at his front over his heart.

"I love you." Ianto whispered in his ear before kissing the side of his neck. Jack sighed contentedly, turning in Ianto's arms so he was facing the younger man. Jack wasn't going to get his happily ever after; he knew that one day the devil would get King Ianto and no amount of trickery or healing water would let Sir Jack get him back. The thing was Jack had been trapped in his own reflection so long he had forgotten to look at the world and take each moment as it came. He had an infinity of life just waiting to be lived, but Jack Harkness had forgotten about living and made done with existing for so long now.

"I love you too." Jack whispered, leaning in to capture Ianto's lips in a tender kiss that reinforced his words. There would be no happily ever after but he would make do with 'happy for now'.


End file.
